Ecological Niche Space of Fish Communities in Impounded Sections of Large Rivers: Its Application to Assessment of the Impact of Weirs on River Ecosystems

Jun Wook Hur, Min-Ho Jang, Kyung-Hoon Shin, Kyung-Lak Lee and Kwang-Hyeon Chang
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Jun Wook Hur: Bio-Monitoring Center, Sejong 30121, Korea
Min-Ho Jang: Department of Biology Education, Kongju National University, Gongju 32588, Korea
Kyung-Hoon Shin: Department of Marine Sciences and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, Korea
Kyung-Lak Lee: Watershed Ecology Research Team, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Korea
Kwang-Hyeon Chang: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, Korea

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: To estimate the impact of weirs on large river fish communities, we applied the ecological niche space (ENS) measured quantitatively using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios to the monitoring of effects of weirs constructed on four major rivers in Korea. ENS was calculated using the Bayesian stable isotope in R statistics. The ENS of fish communities showed persistent differences between upstream and downstream areas of all studied weirs. The ENSs of omnivores were larger in upstream impounded areas but the ENSs of predator species, both endemic ( Erythroculter erythropterus ) and exotic ( Micropterus salmoides ) predators had decreased ENSs in upstream areas. E. erythropterus showed horizontal variations in a wide range of carbon stable isotopes, whereas M. salmoides showed vertical variations in nitrogen stable isotopes. The results suggest that weir construction may have species-specific impact on the ENS of fish community by impoundment and increase niche overlap in upstream areas of the weir. The measured ENS of fish community was significantly correlated with the relative abundance of tolerant species negatively, whereas correlated with that of endemic species positively, suggesting that the ENS can be used as a comprehensive indicator of habitat conditions.

Keywords: carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes; river food web; environmental assessment; habitat condition; resource competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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