Abstract
The study of fish communities from coastal lagoons allows a better understanding of role of these organisms in these systems, and the effect of anthropogenic impact. The aim of the present study was to determine the community structure, in particular dominance of fish species associated to soft bottoms in the lagoon of La Paz. Six bimonthly samplings were carried out in seven localities from November 2016 to September 2017 and physicochemical parameters were recorded. Analysis of temperature showed differences between two marked seasons, warm and cold. Species richness showed differences between months and localities. Shannon-Weaver index and Pielou’s evenness showed significant differences only between months. Simpson’s index suggests a high diversity. According to the BVI, 15 species from the families Haemulidae, Sciaenidae and Gerreidae, were the most biologically important. Zoogeographic affinity analysis showed that 58% of the species prefer the Province of Cortez. Dominant species recorded in this study play a key role in soft-bottom systems like the lagoon of La Paz.
Highlights
Study area The coastal lagoon of La Paz is located south of La Paz Bay (Figure 1), in the state of Baja California Sur, between the parallels 24 ̊11 and 24 ̊06', and between meridians 110 ̊19' and 110 ̊25'. It is separated from La Paz Bay by a sand barrier known as “El Mogote” which has a length of 11 km, with 2.7 km on the widest part [6]
Malpica-Maury [15] mentioned that temporal variation of temperature in the lagoon of La Paz can be influence by sedimentation, which is strongly influenced by wind and tide patterns that change the dynamic of the substrate
González-Acosta [16] mentioned that the arid climate, characterized by low precipitation, alongside wind patterns, strong winds from November to May coming from the Northwest, that switch to calmer winds during Spring and Summer
Summary
Coastal areas in México with 11,000 km, are characterized by a high number of coastal lagoons and estuaries, which are used by its diverse fish communities, especially the ones associated to soft bottoms, a characteristic feature of this type of lagoons. These lagoons play a key role in the reproductive cycles of many marine species and are used for commercial fishing [1]. Only a few species use these lagoons during their full life cycle, while many others use them during a specific part of their life cycle [3]
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