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Seasonal and between‐year variations of fish populations in the middle Thames estuary: 1980–1989
Author(s) -
Daniel de Lima Araújo,
Bailey,
Michelle D. Williams
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
fisheries management and ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1365-2400
pISSN - 0969-997X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2400.1998.00088.x
Subject(s) - estuary , abundance (ecology) , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , seasonality , spring (device) , relative species abundance , community structure , ecology , geography , environmental science , species diversity , biology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Fish samples collected at the cooling water intake screens of West Thurrock power station located 35.5 km downstream of London Bridge on the Thames estuary during the decade 1980–1989 were analysed. Seasonal and long‐term changes in the abundance of the 15 most numerous fish species and in several fish community parameters were analysed. The majority of species were highly seasonal in their distribution and abundance. Species diversity was lower in the summer (May–August) compared with spring/winter (October–February). Evidence of long‐term changes in species diversity and community structure over the decade is presented. The changes were consistent with a period of relative stability (1980–1984) followed by a period of change (1985–1989) and may reflect a deterioration in water quality in the second quinquennium. It is argued that the monitoring of fish communities in estuaries should be based on a multi‐metric approach as no single indicator alone can describe the complex community structure.