Hydrologic connectivity affects fish assemblage structure, diversity, and ecological traits in the unregulated Gambia River, West Africa

0368733 - ÚBO 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
White, Seth M. - Ondračková, Markéta - Reichard, Martin
Hydrologic connectivity affects fish assemblage structure, diversity, and ecological traits in the unregulated Gambia River, West Africa.
Biotropica. Roč. 44, č. 4 (2012), s. 521-530. ISSN 0006-3606. E-ISSN 1744-7429
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6093404
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : fish assemblage * functional morphology * large tropical rivers * lateral migration * multivariate analysis * pre-impoundment * reference condition * trophic position
Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour
Impact factor: 2.351, year: 2012

The Gambia River of West Africa, scheduled to undergo construction of a major dam, is a large tropical river with lateral connectivity across its floodplain and a natural flow regime. We compared patterns of fish diversity, habitat use, fish assemblage structure, and the distribution of trophic position and body morphology in riverine and floodplain habitats in Niokolo Koba National Park, downstream of the planned dam. A total of 49 fish species were captured. Fish species exhibited a range of habitat use patterns including habitat generalist, specificity to particular habitats, and apparent lateral migration among habitats between seasons. Species richness was homogenous among habitats in the wet season yet increased with isolation from the main channel in the dry seasons. Our results suggest that homogenization of floodplain habitats after damming could lead to both decreased taxonomic diversity and decreased functional disparity of the fish assemblage.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0202997