Evaluations of seasonal habitat variations of freshwater fishes, fireflies, and frogs using a habitat suitability index model that includes river water temperature

Kei Nukazawa, Jun-ichi Shiraiwa and So Kazama

Ecological Modelling, 2011, vol. 222, issue 20, 3718-3726

Abstract: The habitats of aquatic organisms, including freshwater fishes (Oncorhynchus masou masou, Plecoglossus altivelis altivel, and Cyprinus carpio), fireflies (Luciola cruciata and Luciola lateralis), and frogs (Anura sp.), were evaluated dynamically in the Natori River basin in the central Miyagi prefecture in Japan using water temperature as an environmental index. The HSI (habitat suitability index) and WUA (weighted useable area) of aquatic organisms were quantitatively calculated using a distributed runoff model coupled with a heat budget model, land cover data, and digital cartographic data. The results showed that the HSI values of O. masou masou and P. altivelis altivel tended to be high in locations where they were actually observed. The HSI distribution patterns of L. cruciata and L. lateralis showed different results, even though the two species are in the same genus and have similar life cycles. The HSI distribution of Anura sp. returned an average value for the whole basin except for urban and upstream basin areas. In fact, Anura sp. frogs were observed throughout the study basin. Incorporating the dynamic factor of water temperature in the model allowed for monthly evaluations, especially for annual migratory organisms, such as P. altivelis altivel. WUA fluctuations, considering river water temperature, can characterize the annual behavior of P. altivelis altivel and Anura sp., and the partial behavior of O. masou masou.

Keywords: Distributed runoff model; Heat budget model; HSI; WUA; Seasonal change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380011004649
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:20:p:3718-3726

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.09.005

Access Statistics for this article

Ecological Modelling is currently edited by Brian D. Fath

More articles in Ecological Modelling from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().