Conservation Of Freshwater Fishes Research Articles

어류를 이용한 한국의 하천생태계 건강성 평가

The objective of this study was to describe the development and testing of an initial ecological health assessment model, based on the index of biological integrity (IBI) using fish assemblages, before establishing the final and currently used model for ecological health assessment, conservation and management of freshwater fish in Korea. The initial fish IBI model was developed during 2004~2006 and included 10 metrics, and in 2007 the final IBI 8-metric model was established for application to streams and rivers in four major Korean watersheds. In this paper, we describe how we developed fish sampling methods, determined metric attributes and categorized tolerance guilds and trophic guilds during the development of the multi-metric model. Two of the initial metrics were removed and the initial evaluation categories were reduced from six to four (excellent, good, fair, poor) before establishing the final national fish model. In the development phase, IBI values were compared with chemical parameters (BOD and COD as indicators of organic matter pollution) and physical habitat parameters to identify differences in IBI model values between chemical and physical habitat conditions. These processes undertaken during the development of the IBI model may be helpful in understanding the modifications made and contribute to creating efficient conservation and management strategies for stream environments to be used by limnologists and fish ecologists as well as stream/watershed managers.

Diversity and longitudinal distribution of freshwater fish in Klawing River, Central Java, Indonesia

Suryaningsih S, Sukmaningrum S, Simanjuntak SBI, Kusbiyanto. 2018. Diversity and longitudinal distribution of freshwater fish in Klawing River, Central Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 85-92. The aims of this study were to evaluate the diversity and longitudinal distribution of fish in Klawing River, Purbalingga (Central Java). The survey was performed using a clustered random-sampling technique. The river was divided into upstream, midstream and downstream regions. Species diversity was measured as the number of species, and the longitudinal distribution was assessed by determining the fish species present in each of the three regions. Eighteen fish species of eleven families were identified in the Klawing River: Cyprinidae, Bagridae, Mastacembelidae, Anabantidae, Cichlidae, Channidae, Eleotrididae, Beleontinidae, Osphronemidae, Poecilidae, and Siluridae. Cyprinidae exhibited the highest number of species (six), followed by Bagridae and Cichlidae (two species each). The other families were represented by one species each. A single cluster analysis showed that the upstream population had a similarity of 78% and 50% with the midstream and downstream populations, respectively. Species and family diversities were higher in the midstream populations than in the upstream and downstream populations. This longitudinal distribution may be due to differences in environmental conditions and suggests that management of the land surrounding the Klawing River is a key factor in the conservation of freshwater fish.

Conservation of Freshwater Fishes

The global diversity of freshwater fishes, estimated in 2013 as 15,750, is nearly half of the global diversity of all fishes (currently estimated at 33,984), yet freshwater lakes, swamps, and strea...

Thomas Paul Simon

All photos provided by the Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab. On July 16, 2016 Thomas Paul Simon, Ph.D. of Bloomington, Indiana passed away unexpectedly. Dr. Simon was a well-known aquatic ecologist and ichthyologist with degrees from three Big Ten institutions and teaching experience at three additional Big Ten schools. Tom, as he was known by his friends and colleagues, is survived by his wife of 35 years, Marybeth Simon; sons, Thomas Paul Simon, IV, Cameron Simon, and Zachary Simon, and daughter, Lia Simon, all of Bloomington; mother, Marcella Simon of Harrison Township, MI; sisters, Lisa Farnsworth of Clinton Township, MI, and Carla Price (Edward) of McComb, MI. His father preceded him in death. Simon was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan on February 22, 1959. He attended the University of Michigan and was an honorable mention for All-American honors (1980) in men's lacrosse at attack, their leading goal scorer (1979, 1980), Rookie of the Year (1978), and part of the Big Ten All Star Team (1981). Lacrosse would continue to play an important part of his life, as a semi-professional player in Canada, member of the U.S. team, and coach for girl's lacrosse. Simon received his B.S. from the University of Michigan in Aquatic Biology (1981), his M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Aquatic Ecology/Fish Biology (1985), and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Aquatic Ecology/Ichthyology (1994). He worked for 25 years in a variety of capacities for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During his time working for the U.S. EPA, he was awarded three Congressional bronze medals for work on environmentally-related cases. Simon was a Fellow of the Indiana Academy of Science. Simon taught at many institutions of higher education, especially in the state of Indiana, where he taught at Purdue University, Indiana State, Ivy Tech Bloomington, and Indiana University Bloomington. At the time of his death, Simon was an adjunct associate professor in The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University, where he had been since 2009. Simon's main research foci were the ecology and conservation of freshwater fishes and crayfishes. He was an expert in the early life history of fishes, the development of multimetric indices of biological integrity, taxonomy, and ecology of crayfishes, and environmental toxicology. A prodigious researcher, Simon authored or co-authored 16 books and over 130 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Particularly noteworthy is his series on Reproductive Biology and Early Life History of Fishes in the Ohio River Drainage and his Fishes of Indiana: A Field Guide. He directed the completion of several M.S. theses and Ph.D. dissertations at Purdue University and Troy State University. However, most of his mentoring was spent on undergraduate students, where he supervised over 60 projects dealing with fishes and crayfishes. Melanie Perello, currently a Ph.D. student in Earth Sciences at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, remembers “As my teacher, he gave me and other students the opportunity to develop research projects and publish with him. Working with Dr. Simon started me down the path as a research scientist and has had profound effects on my life.” Simon spent the last half-decade plus teaching Ichthyology and mentoring students in undergraduate research at The Ohio State University's F.T. Stone Laboratory on Lake Erie. All enjoyed listening to Simon's stories about sampling fish, classic rock, John Mellencamp, Big Ten basketball, and working for the federal government in environmental fields. He told these and other stories with a wink and mischievous grin. He also had an uncanny knack to organize competitive volleyball games between the different courses held at the lab. His passion, humor, and ability to bring real-world experiences to his teaching and research benefitted all his students. He will be greatly missed at Stone Lab, in the Great Lakes region, and beyond.

Two hearts are better than one: encouraging collaboration between freshwater fish conservation and freshwater fisheries management

Two hearts are better than one: encouraging collaboration between freshwater fish conservation and freshwater fisheries management

CONSERVATION OF FRESHWATER FISHES

CONSERVATION OF FRESHWATER FISHES

A Framework for Assessing the Feasibility of Native Fish Conservation Translocations: Applications to Threatened Bull Trout

AbstractThere is an urgent need to consider more aggressive and direct interventions for the conservation of freshwater fishes that are threatened by invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. Conservation introduction (moving a species outside its indigenous range to other areas where conditions are predicted to be more suitable) is one type of translocation strategy that fisheries managers can use to establish new conservation populations in areas of refugia. To date, however, there are few examples of successful conservation‐based introductions. Many attempts fail to establish new populations—in part because environmental factors that might influence success are inadequately evaluated before the translocation is implemented. We developed a framework to assess the feasibility of rescuing threatened fish populations through translocation into historically unoccupied stream and lake habitats. The suitability of potential introduction sites was evaluated based on four major components: the recipient habitat, recipient community, donor population, and future threats. Specific questions were then developed to evaluate each major component. The final assessment was based on a scoring system that addressed each question by using criteria developed from characteristics representative of highly suitable habitats and populations. This framework was used to evaluate the proposed within‐drainage translocation of three Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus populations in Glacier National Park, Montana. Our results indicated that within‐drainage translocation is a feasible strategy for conserving locally adapted populations of Bull Trout through the creation of new areas of refugia in Glacier National Park. The framework provides a flexible platform that can help managers make informed decisions for moving threatened fishes into new areas of refugia for conservation and recovery programs.Received April 26, 2015; accepted January 17, 2016 Published online July 7, 2016

Freshwater fish faunas, habitats and conservation challenges in the Caribbean river basins of north-western South America.

The remarkable fish diversity in the Caribbean rivers of north-western South America evolved under the influences of the dramatic environmental changes of neogene northern South America, including the Quechua Orogeny and Pleistocene climate oscillations. Although this region is not the richest in South America, endemism is very high. Fish assemblage structure is unique to each of the four aquatic systems identified (rivers, streams, floodplain lakes and reservoirs) and community dynamics are highly synchronized with the mono-modal or bi-modal flooding pulse of the rainy seasons. The highly seasonal multispecies fishery is based on migratory species. Freshwater fish conservation is a challenge for Colombian environmental institutions because the Caribbean trans-Andean basins are the focus of the economic development of Colombian society, so management measures must be directed to protect aquatic habitat and their connectivity. These two management strategies are the only way for helping fish species conservation and sustainable fisheries.

Missing the Boat on Freshwater Fish Conservation in California

AbstractPopulation growth and increasing water‐use pressures threaten California's freshwater ecosystems and have led many native fishes to the brink of extinction. To guide fish conservation efforts, we provide the first systematic prioritization of river catchments and identify those that disproportionately contribute to fish taxonomic diversity. Using high‐resolution range maps of exceptional quality, we also assess the representation of fish taxa within the state's protected areas and examine the concordance of high‐priority catchments with existing reserves and among distinct taxonomic groups. Although most of the state's native fishes are found within protected areas, only a small proportion of their ranges are represented. Few high‐priority catchments occur within protected areas, suggesting that fish conservation will require active management and targeted river restoration outside of reserves. These results provide the foundation for systematic freshwater conservation planning in California and for prioritizing where limited resources are allocated for fish recovery and protection.

Macroecological relationships reveal conservation hotspots and extinction‐prone species in Australia's freshwater fishes

AbstractAimWe (1) investigate the relationship between range size and body size for all Australian freshwater fish, (2) test whether this relationship changes with dispersal capacity, (3) assess whether this macroecological pattern can be used to detect potentially vulnerable, but currently unprotected, species, and (4) identify hotspots of freshwater fish conservation concern in Australia.LocationAll Australian river basins.MethodsWe test for relationships between geographic range size and body size in all Australian freshwater fishes, using quantile regression. We then investigate how these relationships vary with conservation status and dispersal capacity. We identify currently unlisted freshwater fishes that share traits with currently listed species and map their distribution, along with freshwater fish research effort, across Australia.ResultsWe found a positive, triangular relationship between range size and body size. Potamodromous species and species endemic to New Guinea and Australia had the largest geographic ranges, while diadromous and globally distributed species had the smallest geographic ranges. For a given body size, conservation‐listed species had a range less than one‐tenth the size of unlisted species. Based on this relationship, we identified 55 species that may be vulnerable to extinction. Most of these species are restricted to northern Australia, a climatically sensitive and poorly researched region on the verge of major development.Main conclusionDespite differences in environments, levels of connectivity and life‐history strategies, freshwater fishes exhibit a positive relationship between geographic range size and body size consistent with that found in terrestrial fauna. By identifying northern Australia as a hotspot of potentially vulnerable species, we provide an important context for guiding targeted research and informing future conservation management of Australia's freshwater fishes. We suggest macroecological relationships are likely to be useful for identifying species at risk of extinction across most taxa when detailed ecological data are absent.

God's fishes: religion, culture and freshwater fish conservation in India

AbstractIndigenous communities worldwide have long relied on their environment for survival. Religious and customary beliefs that foster community conservation have not only bound these communities to ecosystems but also assisted in the conservation of species. We provide an example of how religion fosters the conservation of freshwater fishes in India. Since ancient times rural communities in India have revered fish species as symbols of divine power, and offered them protection in pools associated with temples. Such voluntary, informal institutions and arrangements continue to help conserve several freshwater fish species that are otherwise subjected to anthropogenic pressure in open-access areas. However, religious beliefs in India are waning as a result of increased urbanization, modernization of societies and disintegration of rural communities, and the sustainability of existing temple and community fish sanctuaries is questionable. We discuss the role of temple sanctuaries as an informal conservation strategy for freshwater fishes, and discuss the knowledge and policy gaps that need to be addressed for ensuring their future.

Phylogeography and Population Structure of the Imperiled Redtail Splitfin (Goodeidae:Xenotoca eiseni): Implications for Conservation

The river drainages of Central Mexico have a high degree of freshwater diversity, and are subsequently a focal point for many freshwater fish conservation studies. The livebearing subfamily Goodeinae (Teleostomi: Goodeidae) is a diverse endemic group, under threat from many anthropogenic factors. Xenotoca eiseni, the Redtail Splitfin, a member of this subfamily, has a fragmented distribution in the western basins of the Pacific Coast including the Rios Grande de Santiago, Compostela, Ayuquila, Coahuayana, and the endorheic Lago de Magdalena and Etzatlan-San Marcos basins. Previous studies have noted high levels of genetic differentiation between the endorheic Lago de Magdalena and Etzatlan-San Marcos basins and surrounding areas which may be indicative of more taxonomic diversity within X. eiseni than currently recognized. The objectives of this study were to use mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear (ITS-1) DNA sequences and microsatellite data to assess phylogeography, genetic differentiation, and po...

Relationships between taxonomic and functional components of diversity: implications for conservation of tropical freshwater fishes

Summary Understanding the relationships between different components of diversity is needed to improve conservation strategies for freshwater habitats. Here, we studied relationships between taxonomic and functional components of fish assemblages in 27 headwater and 22 main stem habitats of tropical streams in Central Brazil. Using quantile regression analysis, we evaluated relationships between (i) taxonomic richness (S) and functional richness (FRic); (ii) taxonomic diversity (Δ+) and functional diversity (MPD) and (iii) and taxonomic richness and functional diversity. Taxonomic richness and diversity (S and Δ+) were correlated with functional richness and diversity (FRic and MPD) in headwaters and main stems. However, relationships between taxonomic and functional components differed across habitat types within a catchment. Relationships between S and FRic and Δ+ and MPD were stronger than those between S and MPD. Combined, these findings imply that caution is advised when using one diversity component as a surrogate for another diversity component in studies directed towards the conservation of fishes in tropical headwaters and main stems. Moreover, conservation and management strategies must take account of habitat‐specific relationships of the diversity components of fish assemblages when implementing management programmes.

Feeding ecology of immature Lithodoras dorsalis (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes: Doradidae) in a tidal environment, estuary of the rio Amazonas

Studies of feeding ecology are important for the evaluation of interactive processes in fish communities. This study evaluated the feeding ecology of Lithodoras dorsalis (Doradidae) from streams within the Amazon estuary delta (Brazil), a macro-tidal area, on different pluviometric periods. A total of 371 young specimens was collected during 12 months of sampling (July 2010 to June 2011). The species diet was composed of 28 food items analyzed by Repletion Index, Alimentary Index and Niche Breadth. Young L. dorsalis was classified as herbivore with a frugivory tendency due to the high importance of fruit and seeds in its diet. Food intake varied among sampled months, with the lowest intake being recorded during the rainy-dry season transition period, and the highest at the beginning of the dry season. The importance of food items and the composition of the diet were different throughout the year, probably due to the daily tides that allow fish to access new environments and the pluviometric periods. These results provide important data on the feeding ecology of Amazonian doradids. The study also emphasized the importance of allochthonous resources, derived from the riparian forest, which reinforces the importance of this habitat for the conservation of Neotropical freshwater fishes.

Restricted by borders: trade-offs in transboundary conservation planning for large river systems

Effective conservation of freshwater biodiversity requires accounting for connectivity and the propagation of threats along river networks. With this in mind, the selection of areas to conserve freshwater biodiversity is challenging when rivers cross multiple jurisdictional boundaries. We used systematic conservation planning to identify priority conservation areas for freshwater fish conservation in Hungary (Central Europe). We evaluated the importance of transboundary rivers to achieve conservation goals by systematically deleting some rivers from the prioritization procedure in Marxan and assessing the trade-offs between complexity of conservation recommendations (e.g., conservation areas located exclusively within Hungary vs. transboundary) and cost (area required). We found that including the segments of the largest transboundary rivers (i.e. Danube, Tisza) in the area selection procedure yielded smaller total area compared with the scenarios which considered only smaller national and transboundary rivers. However, analyses which did not consider these large river segments still showed that fish diversity in Hungary can be effectively protected within the country’s borders in a relatively small total area (less than 20 % of the country’s size). Since the protection of large river segments is an unfeasible task, we suggest that transboundary cooperation should focus on the protection of highland riverine habitats (especially Dráva and Ipoly Rivers) and their valuable fish fauna, in addition to the protection of smaller national rivers and streams. Our approach highlights the necessity of examining different options for selecting priority areas for conservation in countries where transboundary river systems form the major part of water resources.

Catch-and-release angling as a management tool for freshwater fish conservation in India

AbstractMahseer are popularly regarded by anglers as the king of freshwater fishes, and are valued across the Himalayan and South-east Asian regions. In India, mahseer are important game fish. Mahseer populations and their habitats face a range of anthropogenic threats, however, including unregulated fishing and habitat fragmentation as a result of hydro-development projects. Catch-and-release angling for mahseer attracts both national and international anglers and could provide information about rivers while generating revenue for regional economies. In this context, we evaluated catch-and-release angling records from rivers that flow within two Indian reserves (the Ramganga and Jia Bharali Rivers in Corbett and Nameri Tiger Reserves, respectively). Golden mahseer Tor putitora in the Ramganga and golden and chocolate mahseer Neolissochilus hexagonolepis in the Jia Bharali were the most frequently caught fish species. Catch data suggested these game fish populations are probably not negatively affected by angling activities. Interviews with stakeholders highlighted support for catch-and-release angling, mainly because of its perceived economic benefits. The data obtained in this research could potentially assist with both fish conservation and the protection of associated aquatic ecosystems.

Ichthyofauna of the Kubo, Tochikura, and Ichinono river systems (Kitakami River drainage, northern Japan), with a comparison of predicted and surveyed species richness.

The potential fish species pool of the Kubo, Tochikura, and Ichinono river systems (tributaries of the Iwai River, Kitakami River drainage), Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, was compared with the observed ichthyofauna by using historical records and new field surveys. Based on the literature survey, the potential species pool comprised 24 species/subspecies but only 20, including 7 non-native taxa, were recorded during the fieldwork. The absence during the survey of 11 species/subspecies from the potential species pool suggested either that sampling effort was insufficient, or that accurate determination of the potential species pool was hindered by lack of biogeographic data and ecological data related to the habitat use of the species. With respect to freshwater fish conservation in the area, Lethenteron reissneri, Carassius auratus buergeri, Pseudorasbora pumila, Tachysurus tokiensis, Oryzias latipes, and Cottus nozawae are regarded as priority species, and Cyprinus rubrofuscus, Pseudorasbora parva, and Micropterus salmoides as targets for removal.

Hydrological drought and the role of refugia in an endangered riffle-dwelling fish, Nooksack dace (Rhinichthys cataractae ssp.)

Understanding the impacts of hydrological drought, and the role that refugia play in mitigating these impacts, is crucial to the conservation of freshwater fishes. This is especially true for species adapted to riffles, which are typically the first habitats to dewater at low discharge. We examined the relationship among decreasing stream discharge, abundance, and habitat use for Nooksack dace (Rhinichthys cataractae ssp.), an endangered riffle-dwelling species. A complementary experimental manipulation examined the effects of flow on growth rate across a discharge gradient in riffle and pool habitats. We found that low-velocity habitats and decreased discharge in experimental channels result in reduced dace growth and that decreasing stream flow was coincident with declines in Nooksack dace abundance. This study demonstrates the sensitivity of Nooksack dace to hydrological drought, and insofar as Nooksack dace are ecologically typical of small riffle-dwelling invertivore fishes, our results suggest that use of pools does not mitigate sublethal effects of declining flows on growth, although pools may provide refuge from the most negative effects of drought (i.e., stranding of fish).

The aquarium hobby: can sinners become saints in freshwater fish conservation?

AbstractThe aquarium hobby is popular worldwide, but it has positives and negatives for freshwater fish conservation. The most damaging impacts of the aquarium trade on ecosystems are overharvesting and invasive species. Consequently, many conservationists and academics have the perception that aquarium hobbyists are generally harmful to species conservation. Without overlooking these major drawbacks of the aquarium hobby, we aim to establish common ground between hobbyists and conservationists by correcting some misconceptions and showing the benefits of serious aquarium hobbyists in the conservation of freshwater fishes and their habitats. Our overview illustrates that the aquarium hobby is not insensitive to the pernicious effects of this enduring hobby on natural systems and that serious aquarists and their associations can directly assist and fund scientific research, increase conservation awareness among the general public and even participate in ex situ and in situ conservation programmes for native fish species at national or international levels. Whilst the relationship between conservationists and the aquarium hobby has often been antagonistic in recent years, ultimately most biologists and aquarists share a love of the species they study or maintain, and this common interest could be the basis for a more positive and productive relationship.

Ecology and conservation of freshwater fish: time to act for a more effective management

Freshwater habitats may account for less than 0.01%of the Earth’s total surface but they play an importantrole in fundamental ecosystem functions and services,besides sustaining an overwhelming diversity of spe-cies (V€or €osmarty et al. 2010; Carpenter et al. 2011).Based on current assessments and projections, theremay be between 25,000 and 40,000 species of fish inthe world, including at least 14,000 freshwater spe-cies (Kottelat & Freyhof 2007), and some 300 newspecies of fish being described every year currently.Every continent has its own distinctive fish faunawhose distribution patterns are the result from physi-cal barriers disrupting past dispersal pathways, aswell as physiological and behavioral adaptations tocope with environmental and habitat-specific charac-teristics (Lucas & Baras 2001; Helfman et al. 2009).This situation imposes different evolutionary pro-cesses resulting in a high genetic differentiationresponsible for a high number of local endemism.Although freshwater fish exhibit great diversityand are responsible for several important functions,their specific roles are still poorly understood.Besides being valuable resources for food, sport andhaving high ornamental value, they are responsiblefor fundamental ecological processes and functionssuch as nutrient cycling, trophic dynamics, productiv-ity, ecosystem engineering and ecosystems connec-tion through migrations, among others. Regrettably,major threats to fish diversity are numerous and mayinteract with each other, thus further complicating thesituation (Dudgeon et al. 2006). Examples of identi-fied threats, to name a few, are overexploitation andflow modification, habitat loss and fragmentation,deleterious effects of agriculture, introduction of non-native species, climate change and pollution includ-ing eutrophication (Dudgeon et al. 2006).Overexploitation of freshwater ecosystems receivesmuch less attention than marine ecosystems althoughthe consequences could be similar if not worse (Allanet al. 2005). Illegal fishing using, for example, pesti-cides, electrofishing and dynamite are responsible forthe collapse of fish stocks and destruction or altera-tion of important freshwater habitats all over theworld.Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation infreshwater ecosystems are a consequence of altera-tions in land use, such as conversion to agriculture,construction on margins, diversion and abstraction ofwater for human use and human intervention on theriverbed [i.e., channelisation, dredging activities orinaccessibility caused by physical barriers (e.g.,dams)]. Such situations may disrupt migration to suit-able areas for reproduction – especially for migratoryfish, or feeding. In addition, impoundments affectboth longitudinal and lateral connectivity, altering thenatural hydrologic regimes and thus affecting the fishcommunity negatively.Species have been translocated or introduced intonew systems throughout the world for different pur-poses (e.g., stocking for aquaculture and fisheries,sport fishing, release of aquarium species, environ-mental management or frivolously – out of fun, forinstance). During recent years, the number of non-native species introduced to freshwater ecosystemshas increased considerably. Non-native species mayimpact aquatic ecosystems at the individual (e.g.,altering the behaviour of native species, influencinghabitat use and foraging, hybridisation), population(e.g., changing abundance, biomass and distributionof other species), community (e.g., altering interac-tions among populations and potentially inducingtrophic cascades) and ecosystem (e.g., changing