Fish taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity and their vulnerabilities in the largest river in southeastern China.

Abstract

Freshwater biodiversity is currently under multiple threats. Conservation of freshwater fish biodiversity needs to be prioritized because natural conservation resources are always limited.Samples were collected at 24 sites in the Min River, the largest basin in southeastern China. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity were analyzed. Biodiversity vulnerability was measured by removing one species each time out of the community with replacement.Results suggested that hotspots for taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity were located at two impounded sites, while for functional diversity were those sites with no upstream dams. Little congruence was observed between taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Fragmentation of river network connectivity caused by dams was a significant factor affecting the biodiversity patterns. Beta turnover was the driving component for beta diversity, indicating that biodiversity dissimilarity along the river was mostly explained by environmental sorting. Fifteen out of 16 species that contributed the most to different facets of biodiversity were mostly endemic, either they had distinctive functional traits or they were the most prevalent species. Sites with the highest diversity vulnerability were characterized by these distinctive species. Functional diversity was more vulnerable to species loss comparing with the other two biodiversity facets.Prioritizing those biodiversity hotspots, sites with extreme functional vulnerability, and those distinctive endemic species which contributed the most to biodiversity vulnerability is suggested in the Min River. The study found evidence that congruence among different facets of biodiversity is hard to achieve, and functional diversity is the most vulnerable in a freshwater system fragmented by intensive dam constructions. This work will help to develop systematic conservation planning from the perspective of different biodiversity facets.