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Fishes
Special Issues
Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes
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Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes

A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2024) | Viewed by 15950

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Heng Zhang

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Guest Editor
East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai 200090, China
Interests: spatial–temporal dynamics; marine ecology; fish community; environmental impact
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ying Xue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
Interests: trophic dynamics; fish biodiverstiy; species distribution model; habitat suitability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yunzhi Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
Interests: eDNA; fish biodiversity; habitats; freshwater ecology
Dr. Luoliang Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 53706 WI, USA
Interests: estuarine ecology; fish biodiversity; wetland fishes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the increasing impact of human activities, the diversity and distribution of fish in various water bodies (from freshwater to marine) have undergone significant changes. These changes mainly include a decrease in biodiversity, a simplification of community structure, and significant alterations in species distribution areas. Timely understanding of the distribution patterns and key influencing factors of fish species caused by environmental and human activities is beneficial for us to better protect fish and their population resources. In addition to traditional research methods in fishery ecology, new models such as environmental DNA and deep learning have played a significant role in deepening the study of fish diversity and distribution mechanisms in recent years, and there is still much room for improvement. In addition, this Special Issue mainly covers monitoring, identifying, and updating methods surrounding the biodiversity and distribution of fish in various types of water bodies, with a particular focus on how to effectively evaluate their spatiotemporal distribution caused by changes in habitats, such as species distribution models and deep learning methods.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Heng Zhang
Prof. Dr. Ying Xue
Prof. Dr. Yunzhi Yan
Dr. Luoliang Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fish biodiversity
  • spatial–temporal dynamics
  • fish community
  • environmental impact
  • climate change
  • species distribution
  • eDNA
  • ecological modelling

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 6467 KiB  
Article
Distribution, Occupancy, and Habitat of the Endangered Carolina Madtom: Implications for Recovery of an Endemic Stream Fish
by W. Robert Cope, Thomas J. Kwak, Tyler R. Black, Krishna Pacifici, Jennifer M. Archambault and W. Gregory Cope
Fishes 2024, 9(11), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9110454 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 644
Abstract
Endemic fish are important components of freshwater ecosystems because they contribute to biodiversity and provide vital ecological functions. The Carolina Madtom, Noturus furiosus, is a small catfish endemic to the Neuse and Tar river basins of North Carolina, USA. Three previous surveys [...] Read more.
Endemic fish are important components of freshwater ecosystems because they contribute to biodiversity and provide vital ecological functions. The Carolina Madtom, Noturus furiosus, is a small catfish endemic to the Neuse and Tar river basins of North Carolina, USA. Three previous surveys over the past 60 years have shown declining occurrence and abundance in the basins, and as such, the species was listed as federally endangered in 2021. To provide critical information to guide Carolina Madtom conservation and recovery strategies, we surveyed 36 sites (75 locations) in both basins to (1) determine the current distribution of the Carolina Madtom, (2) develop occupancy models to estimate probability of detection and occurrence of the species throughout its range, and (3) determine its instream habitat use and suitability. We collected 59 Carolina Madtom during snorkel surveys in the Tar River basin and none from the Neuse River basin, indicating that Carolina Madtom populations are still declining in both occurrence and abundance throughout their historical and recent range, especially in the Neuse River basin. Occupancy modeling estimated low occupancy probability (0.35), while detection probability was high (0.81). Carolina Madtom occupied slow-to-moderate velocity water over sand and gravel substrate, using cobble and woody debris as cover. Habitat suitability distributions quantified the most suitable ranges of microhabitat parameters for Carolina Madtom occupancy. A comparison of available suitable habitat in the two river basins revealed that adequate suitable habitat was available in both basins, suggesting that other factors such as pollution or predation from the non-native Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris, may be contributing to population declines. The application of our results will aid in management and recovery actions for the species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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14 pages, 3809 KiB  
Article
Distribution Characteristics of Trichiurus japonicus and Their Relationships with Environmental Factors in the East China Sea and South-Central Yellow Sea
by Xinyu Shi, Zhanhui Lu, Zhongming Wang, Jianxiong Li, Xin Gao, Zhuang Kong and Wenbin Zhu
Fishes 2024, 9(11), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9110439 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 495
Abstract
The largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus) is the most productive fish caught in China. In order to understand the seasonal distribution of T. japonicus in the East China Sea and the central and southern parts of the Yellow Sea, three species distribution [...] Read more.
The largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus) is the most productive fish caught in China. In order to understand the seasonal distribution of T. japonicus in the East China Sea and the central and southern parts of the Yellow Sea, three species distribution models were used in this study, namely the random-forest model, K-nearest-neighbor algorithm, and gradient-ascending decision-tree model, based on the data of trawling surveys in the East China Sea and central and southern parts of the Yellow Sea from 2008 to 2009. Combined with a variance inflation factor and cross-check, a distribution model of T. japonicus was screened and constructed to analyze the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of T. japonicus in the East China Sea and central and southern parts of the Yellow Sea. The results showed that the random-forest model had the advantages of fitting effect and prediction ability among the three models. The analysis of this model showed that the water depth, bottom water temperature, and surface salinity had a great influence on the habitat distribution of T. japonicus. The relative resources of T. japonicus increased with the increase of bottom water temperature, reached the maximum at 23.8 °C, and first increased and then decreased with the increase of water depth and surface salinity, reaching the maximum when water depth is 72 m and surface salinity is 31.2%. This study also used the random-forest model to predict the spatial distribution of T. japonicus in the central and southern waters of the East China Sea and south-central Yellow Sea from 2008 to 2009, and the results showed that the predicted results were close to the actual situation. The research results can provide a reference for the exploitation and protection of T. japonicus resources in the East China Sea and the south-central Yellow Sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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11 pages, 2122 KiB  
Article
Species Composition of Fish Larvae and Juveniles in the Nanji Islands, China
by Xiaodong Wang, Dubin Zhao, Qiang Liu, Tianyu Lu, Junsheng Zhong, Wandong Chen, Shangwei Xie and Shun Chen
Fishes 2024, 9(11), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9110421 - 22 Oct 2024
Viewed by 462
Abstract
To describe the species composition of fish larvae and juveniles in the Nanji Islands, monthly collection was conducted at 12 stations around the Nanji Islands from March 2023 to February 2024 by using horizontal tow at the surface layer. The fish larvae and [...] Read more.
To describe the species composition of fish larvae and juveniles in the Nanji Islands, monthly collection was conducted at 12 stations around the Nanji Islands from March 2023 to February 2024 by using horizontal tow at the surface layer. The fish larvae and juveniles were collected by a larva net (1.3 m mouth diameter, 0.5 mm mesh aperture). A total of 6446 fish larvae and juveniles were collected, belonging to 59 species and 54 genera in 11 families. Most of them were preflexion larvae (93.31%). Gobiidae, with eight species, was the most diverse family. Based on the index of relative importance (IRI) result, the dominant species was Sebastiscus marmoratus (Cuvier, 1829), accounting for 84.52% of the total number of samples collected. The common species were Stolephorus commersonii Lacepède, 1803; Omobranchus elegans (Steindachner, 1876); Nibea albiflora (Richardson, 1846); Parablennius yatabei (Jordan & Snyder, 1900); Lateolabrax maculatus (McClelland, 1844); and Odontamblyopus lacepediiand (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845). Other species were all rare species. The highest species number was in September (18 species), and the highest density was in December. Only one fish larva was collected in April. Pielou’s evenness index was highest in November, while Margalef’s richness index and Shannon–Wiener diversity were highest in September. The result of cluster analysis showed that the 11 months (except April) could be divided into four groups. The species number, density, and three diversity indexes showed no significant correlation with temperature and salinity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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12 pages, 1389 KiB  
Article
Use of Environmental DNA to Evaluate the Spatial Distribution of False Kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus) in Nearshore Areas of Gouqi Island
by Rijin Jiang, Huibo Hao, Rui Yin, Peng Zhao, Feng Chen, Yongdong Zhou and Xuejun Chai
Fishes 2024, 9(10), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9100418 - 19 Oct 2024
Viewed by 519
Abstract
This study aims to explore the spatial distribution of false kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus) in the mussel farming area, artificial reef areas of Gouqi Island (Shengsi, China), and natural areas using eDNA detection methods. Surface and bottom water samples were collected at [...] Read more.
This study aims to explore the spatial distribution of false kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus) in the mussel farming area, artificial reef areas of Gouqi Island (Shengsi, China), and natural areas using eDNA detection methods. Surface and bottom water samples were collected at 12 stations in November 2022 and April 2023, totaling 52 samples. We used species-specific primers and probes for quantitative PCR (qPCR) detection of Sebastiscus marmoratus eDNA. The eDNA concentrations differed seasonally (p < 0.05) and did not differ (p > 0.05) among the three sampling areas and two water layers. The greatest eDNA concentrations occurred in the surface layer during the spring. Higher concentrations of Sebastiscus marmoratus eDNA were also found in the mussel aquaculture area. Temperature exhibited a significant positive correlation with Sebastiscus marmoratus eDNA concentration (p < 0.05). Additionally, we developed linear equations predicting the relationship between environmental factors and environmental factors, providing a reference for future fishery resource surveys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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12 pages, 2514 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Distribution of Key Small-Sized Fish in the South Inshore of Zhejiang, China
by Minghao Xu, Xiaodi Gao, Weicheng Liu and Jiaqi Wang
Fishes 2024, 9(10), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9100412 - 13 Oct 2024
Viewed by 569
Abstract
Small-sized fish are a vital food source for large predatory commercial fish and play a key role in marine food webs, bridging lower and higher trophic levels. They are indispensable in maintaining the energy flow and material cycling within aquatic ecosystems. This study [...] Read more.
Small-sized fish are a vital food source for large predatory commercial fish and play a key role in marine food webs, bridging lower and higher trophic levels. They are indispensable in maintaining the energy flow and material cycling within aquatic ecosystems. This study utilized bottom-trawl survey data from 2017 to 2020 along the south inshore of Zhejiang, China, complemented by concurrent environmental data, to examine the influence of environmental factors on the resource density and seasonal distribution patterns of four dominant small-sized fish species. The research findings indicated that SSH (sea surface height) and Chl (chlorophyll-a concentration) emerged as the key environmental factors influencing resource densities, with all four species exhibiting similar preferences toward these variables. However, significant disparities were observed in their preferences for SST (sea surface temperature), SSS (sea surface salinity), and DO (dissolved oxygen). The various species’ resource density and distribution patterns underwent significant seasonal variations. Additionally, the seasons and regions with the highest resource densities consistently aligned, occurring predominantly in autumn within the northern waters of the study area. This research further elucidated the environmental predilections and seasonal spatial distribution traits of small-sized fish in the south inshore of Zhejiang, an important feeding ground for economic fish species in the East China Sea. This provides scientific backing for forecasting alterations in coastal fishery resources under environmental and climate change scenarios and supports ecosystem-based fisheries management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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21 pages, 10847 KiB  
Article
Construction and Comparison of Machine-Learning Forecast Models of Albacore Thunnus alalunga Fishing Grounds in the South Pacific Ocean
by Jianxiong Li, Feng Chen, Qian Dai, Wenbin Zhu, Dewei Li, Wei Yu and Weifeng Zhou
Fishes 2024, 9(10), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9100375 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 682
Abstract
The traditional methods for predicting the distribution of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) fishing grounds have low performance and accuracy. Uneven sampling can result in unreasonable evaluation indicators. To address these issues, three methods, equi-frequency, K-means clustering algorithm, and 1-R split, were applied [...] Read more.
The traditional methods for predicting the distribution of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) fishing grounds have low performance and accuracy. Uneven sampling can result in unreasonable evaluation indicators. To address these issues, three methods, equi-frequency, K-means clustering algorithm, and 1-R split, were applied to discretize the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of albacore in the South Pacific from 2016 to 2021 and partition the fishing grounds into abundance levels. Eight machine learning models were used to predict the fishing grounds. In addition to the traditional evaluation index based on confusion matrix, top-k index was also used to evaluate the accuracy of fishery abundance predictions. The results showed that (1) When sampling is unbalanced, the reported accuracy does not fully represent the actual performance of the model in predicting the abundance of albacore in the fishing ground. F1 value can be used as the index of the model effect and stability. (2) In binary classification, the quartile stacking algorithm has the best stacking performance, with F1 0.89. (3) The top-1 prediction accuracy of three-category fishery forecasting is the highest at 0.74, and the top-1 prediction accuracy of five-category fishery forecasting is the highest at 0.54. (4) The top-k accuracy of classification of fisheries with multiple abundance using K-means is significantly better than that of equal frequency discretization (p < 0.001). The top-k evaluation index was used to predict the fishing grounds of albacore across multiple abundance levels for the first time in this study, which is significant for pioneering a new method for this application and which provides a demonstration of the development of artificial intelligence techniques for fisheries in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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14 pages, 6464 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Impact of Environmental Factors on Chub Mackerel Scomber japonicus Fishing Grounds Based on a Linear Mixed Model
by Jiasheng Li, Fenghua Tang, Yumei Wu, Shengmao Zhang, Weifeng Zhou and Xuesen Cui
Fishes 2024, 9(8), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9080323 - 14 Aug 2024
Viewed by 845
Abstract
Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) is a commercially important fish species which are widely distributed in the North Pacific. Based on the fishery data from China’s high-sea light-purse seine fishing from 2014 to 2020 and the marine environment factors, a mixed linear [...] Read more.
Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) is a commercially important fish species which are widely distributed in the North Pacific. Based on the fishery data from China’s high-sea light-purse seine fishing from 2014 to 2020 and the marine environment factors, a mixed linear model considering the actual spatiotemporal stratification of the catch per unit effort (CPUE) was established to analyze the fixed and random effects of marine environmental factors on the CPUE of chub mackerel and to investigate the relationship between the abundance of chub mackerel resources in the Northwest Pacific and two marine environmental factors: sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a concentration (CHL). The results showed that SST had a significant fixed effect on the CPUE. In contrast, the natural logarithm of chlorophyll (logCHL) had no fixed effect on the CPUE. Based on the monthly analysis, random fluctuations were observed in the impact of logCHL on the CPUE. LogCHL and CPUE show a positive correlation during spawning and wintering periods and a negative correlation during the feeding period. The study showed that when fishery sampling data exhibit spatiotemporal stratification, linear mixed models can effectively incorporate both the fixed and random effects of environmental factors on the CPUE of chub mackerel. Linear mixed models can play an important role in analyzing the fluctuations in resource abundance and the mechanisms governing the formation of fishing grounds for chub mackerel in the Northwest Pacific. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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18 pages, 985 KiB  
Article
Community Structure Characteristics and Changes in Fish Species at Poyang Lake after the Yangtze River Fishing Ban
by Yanping Zhang, Haixin Zhang, Zijun Wu, Mingguang Zhao and Guangpeng Feng
Fishes 2024, 9(7), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9070281 - 15 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
To understand the fish community structure characteristics and changes in Poyang Lake after the Yangtze River fishing ban in 2021, seven sampling stations were established, namely in Hukou, Lushan, Duchang, Yongxiu, Nanjishan, Ruihong, and Poyang, for fishery resource surveys between 2020 and 2021. [...] Read more.
To understand the fish community structure characteristics and changes in Poyang Lake after the Yangtze River fishing ban in 2021, seven sampling stations were established, namely in Hukou, Lushan, Duchang, Yongxiu, Nanjishan, Ruihong, and Poyang, for fishery resource surveys between 2020 and 2021. The results showed that 93 fish species were identified, belonging to 11 orders, 20 families, and 61 genera, which was an increase of 4.5% from before the fishing ban. Of these, 52 Cyprinidae species were identified, comprising the highest proportion (55.91%). Four invasive alien species (hybrid sturgeon, Cirrhina mrigala, Piaractus brachypomus, and Mugil cephalus) were identified, and the number of alien species in Poyang Lake was higher than before the fishing ban. Carnivorous and mid-lower-level fish showed a significant increase, accounting for 47.31% and 38.71% of the total species, respectively. Compared with the Yangtze River before the fishing ban, the body length and body weight of the main economic fish in Poyang Lake increased by 6.10–61.26% and by 15.14–291.57%, respectively. In terms of age structure, the proportion of major economically important fish aged 1 or 2 years decreased significantly, while the proportion of older fish increased substantially. There was little difference in the diversity of fish communities at different stations in Poyang Lake. In terms of biodiversity, the Shannon–Wiener index ranged from 2.158 to 2.909, with Poyang having the highest value and Nanjishan the lowest. Margalef’s index ranged from 4.265 to 6.459, with Lushan having the highest value and Nanjishan the lowest. Pielou’s index ranged from 0.617 to 0.822, with Duchang having the highest value and Nanjishan the lowest. Hence, the Yangtze river fishing ban has played an important and positive role in the restoration of fishery resources in Poyang Lake. However, long-term tracking and monitoring are needed to provide information to comprehensively evaluate the ecological impact of the Poyang Lake fishing ban. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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21 pages, 3583 KiB  
Article
Functional Alpha and Beta Diversity of Fish Communities and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors in the Huanghe River (Yellow River) Estuary and Adjacent Seas, China
by Shaowen Li, Yufang Huang, Fan Li, Yanfen Liu, Hongliang Ma, Xiaomin Zhang, Xiuxia Wang, Wei Chen, Guangxin Cui and Tiantian Wang
Fishes 2024, 9(6), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9060222 - 12 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1035
Abstract
Fisheries and bottom seawater data were collected in July in 2022 and 2023 from 15 sampling stations in the Huanghe River estuary and adjacent seas in China. The patterns of functional alpha and beta diversity of fish communities in this area and their [...] Read more.
Fisheries and bottom seawater data were collected in July in 2022 and 2023 from 15 sampling stations in the Huanghe River estuary and adjacent seas in China. The patterns of functional alpha and beta diversity of fish communities in this area and their relationships with environmental factors were studied using trait-based analysis. Five functional classifications, which included 16 functional traits, four functional alpha diversity indices (functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean), three functional beta diversity indices (functional beta diversity and its turnover and nestedness components), and 14 bottom environmental factors were considered. The dominant traits of fish communities were the following: benthivorous feeding habits, small and front-facing mouths, high trophic level, demersal, anguilliform, low growth coefficient, medium resilience, low vulnerability, and adapted to warm temperate conditions. The dominant migration traits and types of fish eggs varied by year, and fish abundance was the main factor affecting the dominant traits of the communities. The results of multiple regression on distance matrices and variance partitioning analysis indicated that ammonia nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, and pH were the main environmental factors that affected fish functional diversity. The N/P ratio had a bottom-up control effect on fish functional diversity. Our findings also revealed that high pH gradients and distant geographical distances can inhibit trait turnover in fish communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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13 pages, 5489 KiB  
Article
Assessing Prospects of Integrating Asian Carp Polyculture in Europe: A Nature-Based Solution under Climate Change?
by Oksana Nekrasova, Mihails Pupins, Volodymyr Tytar, Leonid Fedorenko, Oleksandr Potrokhov, Arturs Škute, Andris Čeirāns, Kathrin Theissinger and Jean-Yves Georges
Fishes 2024, 9(4), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9040148 - 22 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1424
Abstract
Aquaculture’s role in addressing food security has grown, with a spotlight on Asian carp species. Polyculture, i.e. cultivating multiple fish species in a single system, is being increasingly adopted for its resource efficiency and economic benefits. This practice for Asian fish for food [...] Read more.
Aquaculture’s role in addressing food security has grown, with a spotlight on Asian carp species. Polyculture, i.e. cultivating multiple fish species in a single system, is being increasingly adopted for its resource efficiency and economic benefits. This practice for Asian fish for food and ornamental purposes is gaining traction in Europe despite their invasive potential. Rising temperatures due to climate change offer an opportunity for thermophilic Asian carps (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis). Using GIS modeling (Maxent), we identified the possible settlement of Asian carp in Northern Europe amidst climate change. We analyzed carp global distribution centers, assessed the potential carp spread in Europe, and evaluated their potential suitability for polyculture systems. By 2050, H. molitrix may extend its range to 58–62° N latitude, with a potential 1.7-fold habitat increase, while A. nobilis, which are more heat-tolerant, may move north to 52–58° N latitude, with a 1.3-fold potential increase. Despite the slight ecological differences in their native habitats, niche modeling indicates that these carp can occupy similar niches in Europe (proven statistically). The eventuality of using Asian species for polyculture in Europe presents both opportunities and challenges in the face of a changing climate as long as invasion risks are prevented. Envisaging such polyculture, yet very carefully for the protection of ecosystems, can help food security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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15 pages, 7026 KiB  
Article
Distribution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Collichthys lucidus Species in Offshore Waters of Zhejiang Province, China
by Wendan Xuan, Hongliang Zhang, Haobo Zhang, Tian Wu, Yongdong Zhou and Wenbin Zhu
Fishes 2024, 9(3), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9030083 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1618
Abstract
Collichthys lucidus is a small fish found in offshore waters that is economically important for China. It is imperative to understand its distribution characteristics and driving factors. Based on survey data of trawl fishery resources offshore of Zhejiang province, China, in spring (April) [...] Read more.
Collichthys lucidus is a small fish found in offshore waters that is economically important for China. It is imperative to understand its distribution characteristics and driving factors. Based on survey data of trawl fishery resources offshore of Zhejiang province, China, in spring (April) and autumn (November) from 2018 to 2022, the spatial and temporal distributions of C. lucidus in this area were analyzed. The random forest (RF) model was used to determine the important marine factors affecting the distribution of C. lucidus. The relationship between the distributions of the important variables was analyzed. The results showed that C. lucidus was mainly distributed in coastal waters. The tail density of the species exhibited obvious seasonal variation and was significantly greater in autumn than in spring. The most important factor affecting the distribution of this species in spring and autumn was water depth. The bottom temperature, bottom salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration were also important influencing factors. The importance of these factors differed among the different seasons, while the chlorophyll a concentration and pH had no significant effect on the species distribution. This study revealed the distribution pattern of C. lucidus in offshore waters of Zhejiang Province and the influence of important marine factors on its distribution. This study can enrich the survey data on C. lucidus and provide basic data for its scientific management and protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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Graphical abstract

14 pages, 4172 KiB  
Article
The Factors Driving the Spatial Variation in the Selection of Spawning Grounds for Sepiella japonica in Offshore Zhejiang Province, China
by Tian Wu, Jun Liang, Yongdong Zhou, Wendan Xuan, Guangjie Fang, Yazhou Zhang and Feng Chen
Fishes 2024, 9(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9010020 - 31 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1930
Abstract
Due to overfishing and marine pollution, the status of fishery resources and the ecological environment in the sea areas have considerably changed. The proliferation and release of fishery resources have become the main means of human intervention to maintain and conserve the resource [...] Read more.
Due to overfishing and marine pollution, the status of fishery resources and the ecological environment in the sea areas have considerably changed. The proliferation and release of fishery resources have become the main means of human intervention to maintain and conserve the resource populations. The annual output of Sepiella japonica (S. japonica), once one of the four major seafood species in the East China Sea, has now recovered to a level of 4000 t. However, do the traditional spawning grounds of S. japonica still exist? Have the spawning grounds shifted? These scientific questions are worthy of attention. Based on the survey data of fishery resources and environment at 120 stations in coastal Zhejiang waters from 2015 to 2022, the spatial and temporal distribution and resource center of gravity of S. japonica in springtime were analyzed. Random forest (RF) was used to explain the importance of six environmental variables, including water depth, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, chlorophyll a, pH, and dissolved oxygen. The generalized additive model (GAM) nonparametric smoothing function was used to analyze the relationship between environmental factors and the distribution of S. japonica inhabiting the offshore areas of Zhejiang province, and the effects of environmental factors on spawning habitat selection of S. japonica were revealed. This study found that there was a significant interannual variation in S. japonica resources, with an overall increasing trend in the resource. The spawning grounds were mainly distributed in the Jiushan Islands Marine Reserve, the Dachen Islands Marine Reserve, and their nearby sea areas. The resource peaked at latitude 28.3° N. Additionally, the most important variables affecting the distribution of S. japonica were depth of water, followed by sea surface salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, sea surface temperature, and chlorophyll a. S. japonica mainly inhabited sea areas with a depth of 15~25 m and a sea surface salinity of 26~32. When the pH ranged from 7.6 to 8.3, dissolved oxygen ranged from 6 to 9 mg/L, sea surface temperature ranged from 14 to 17 °C, and chlorophyll a ranged from 2.5 to 5 µg/L, S. japonica was more likely to be present. This study provides insights into the spatial distribution of S. japonica in offshore Zhejiang province, offering a reference for the rational utilization and scientific protection of this resource. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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20 pages, 5524 KiB  
Article
Evaluation Performance of Three Standardization Models to Estimate Catch-per-Unit-Effort: A Case Study on Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax) in the Northwest Pacific Ocean
by Yongchuang Shi, Haibin Han, Fenghua Tang, Shengmao Zhang, Wei Fan, Heng Zhang and Zuli Wu
Fishes 2023, 8(12), 606; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120606 - 11 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2084
Abstract
Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) standardization in fisheries is a critical foundation for conducting stock assessment and fishery conservation. The Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) is one of the economically important fish species in the Northwest Pacific Ocean (NPO). Hence, the importance of choosing an [...] Read more.
Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) standardization in fisheries is a critical foundation for conducting stock assessment and fishery conservation. The Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) is one of the economically important fish species in the Northwest Pacific Ocean (NPO). Hence, the importance of choosing an appropriate CPUE standardization model cannot be overstated when it comes to achieving a precise relative abundance index for the efficient management of Pacific sardine fishery. This study’s main aim was to assess and compare the efficacy of three models, specifically the General Linear Model (GLM), the Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), and the spatio-temporal GLMM (VAST), in the CPUE standardization for Pacific sardine fishery in the NPO, with the ultimate goal of identifying the most appropriate model. An influence analysis was applied to analyze the impact of individual variables on the disparity among standardized and nominal CPUE, and the main explanatory variables influencing standardized CPUE were identified. A coefficient–distribution–influence (CDI) plot was generated to analyze the impact of the different models on the annual standardized CPUE. Additionally, a simulation testing framework was developed to evaluate the estimated accuracy of the three models. The results indicated that the standardized CPUE and the nominal CPUE exhibited similar trends between 2014 and 2021 for the three models. Compared to the GLM and the GLMM, the VAST demonstrates larger conditional R2 and smaller conditional AIC, indicating a better performance in standardizing the CPUE for Pacific sardines due to its consideration of spatial and temporal variations. The interaction terms within the three models exert significant influences on the annual standardized CPUE, necessitating their inclusion in the model construction. CDI plots indicate that the spatio-temporal influence of the VAST model exhibits a smaller variation trend, suggesting that the VAST is more robust when standardizing the CPUE for Pacific sardines. Simulation testing additionally demonstrated that the VAST model displays smaller model root mean squared error (RMSE) and bias, establishing it as the superior performer for standardizing CPUE. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the scientific management of Pacific sardines in the NPO and can be extended to CPUE standardization for other small pelagic fish species worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Spatial Distribution of Fishes)
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