Gravel dredging alters diversity and structure of riverine fish assemblages

Abstract

Summary1. Human activities affect fish assemblages in a variety of ways. Large‐scale and long‐term disturbances such as in‐stream dredging and mining alter habitat and hydrodynamic characteristics within rivers which can, in turn, alter fish distribution. Habitat heterogeneity is decreased as the natural riffle–pool–run sequences are lost to continuous pools and, as a consequence, lotic species are displaced by lentic species, while generalist and invasive species displace native habitat specialists. Sediment and organic detritus accumulate in deep, dredged reaches and behind dams, disrupting nutrient flow and destroying critical habitat for habitat specialist species.2. We used standard ecological metrics such as species richness and diversity, as well as stable isotope analysis of δ13C and δ15N, to quantify the differences in fish assemblages sampled by benthic trawls among dredged and undredged sites in the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.3. Using mixed‐effects models, we found that total catch, species richness and diversity were negatively correlated with depth (P < 0.05), while species richness, diversity and proportion of species in lithophilic (‘rock‐loving’) reproductive guilds were lower at dredged than at undredged sites (P < 0.05).4. Principal components analysis and manova revealed that taxa such as darters in brood hider and substratum chooser reproductive guilds were predominantly associated with undredged sites along principal component axis 1 (PC1 and manovaP < 0.05), while nest spawners such as catfish and open substratum spawners including suckers were more associated with dredged sites along PC2 (P < 0.05).5. Stable isotope analysis of δ13C and δ15N revealed shifts from reliance on shallow water and benthic‐derived nutrients at undredged sites to reliance on phytoplankton and terrestrial detritus at deep‐water dredged sites. Relative trophic positions were also lower at dredged sites for many species; loss of benthic nutrient pathways associated with depth and dredging history is hypothesised.6. The combination of ecological metrics and stable isotope analysis thus shows how anthropogenic habitat loss caused by gravel dredging can decrease benthic fish abundance and diversity, and that species in substratum‐specific reproductive guilds are at particular risk. The effects of dredging also manifest by altering resource use and nutrient pathways within food webs. Management and conservation decisions should therefore consider the protection of relatively shallow areas with suitable substratum for spawning for the protection of native fishes.