RECONSTITUTING THE ESTUARINE
COMMUNITY OF MAINLAND
NEARSHORE SOUTH-CENTRAL
BISCAYNE BAY
Joan A. Browder, Katarzyna Kulpa, Ian Zink, Gladys Liehr,
Joseph Serafy, Diego Lirman, Sarah Bellmund,Thomas Jackson
Presentation for GEER 2017, April 17-19, Coral Springs, FL
This project is based on monitoring
data from the open water area
adjacent to the Biscayne Bay
shoreline, where CERP-related
changes in freshwater flow to the bay
will be most strongly reflected in
changes in salinity and epifauna
affected by salinity.
CERP aims to restore a more natural
inflow volume and distribution in
space and time, potentially increasing
the area, frequency and duration of
mesohaline and low polyhaline
salinity conditions.
IBBEAM
Integrated Biscayne Bay Ecological
Monitoring and Assessment
Long-term Objective of Project to be described
today:
Visualizing the target nearshore estuarine epifaunal
community
Developing community performance measures and
targets to help us get there and know when we’ve
arrived.
MONITORING AREA
IBBEAM
Epifaunal
Monitoring
47 sites
2007 - 2016
DRY season
January-March
WET season
July-September
• A 1-m² throw-trap, cleared
with a sweep net (4
sweeps), was used to
sample epifauna in a 3-m²
area at each site.
• Samples consisted of small
fish, shrimp, crabs, and
echinoderms.
• Salinity and other
environmental variables
were measured at each
site.
• Fish were identified to
species or higher taxa,
weighed, and measured.
Approach
• Fish community dynamics in
relation to salinity is the main
focus of this presentation.
• We assign fish species to
halohabitat types based on the
median salinity of the distribution
of their members.
• Then we compare halohabitat
groups for how they change over
time and differ between 5-yr
periods.
This overview of fish species in relation to salinity
covers the 10-yr period 2007-2016 and two 5-yr
periods within it: 2007-2011 and 2012-2016.
Our hypotheses:
1. The nearshore epifauna fish community can be assigned
to four halohabitat types that change differently in
response to change in salinity.
2. Change in the fish community can be documented
quantitatively in a 5-yr period.
Total Collecting Period 2007-2016
2007-2011 Collections
2012-2016 Collections
Box-plots were prepared to
display the salinity of
distribution of all
individuals of each species
collected over the selected
period.
Box plot components
• Median
• 25 and 75 percentiles
• 5 and 95 percentiles
• Outliers
Species were classified to halohabitat based
on median salinity of their distribution.
0
DRY 07
WET 07
Total water year 07
Calendar year 07
DRY 08
WET 08
Total water year 08
Calendar year 08
DRY 09
WET 09
Total water year 09
Calendar year 09
DRY 10
WET 10
Total water year 10
Calendar year 10
DRY 11
WET 11
Total water year 11
Calendar year 11
DRY 12
WET 12
Total water year 12
Calendar year 12
DRY 13
WET 13
Total water year 13
Calendar year 13
DRY 14
WET 14
Total water year 14
Calendar year 14
DRY 15
WET 15
Total water year 15
Calendar year 15
DRY 16
WET 16
Total water year 16
Calendar year 16
inches
Precipitation 2007-2016
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Salinity per site, Wet 2007-2011
Salinity per site, Dry 2007-2011
0 2 4 6 8 101214161820222426283032343638404244
Site
Site
0 2 4 6 8 101214161820222426283032343638404244
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
DRY 2007
Dry 2008
DRY 2009
DRY 2010
DRY 2011
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
WET 2007
WET 2008
WET 2009
WET 2010
WET 2011
Salinity per site 2007-2016
07D
07W
08D
08W
09D
09W
Collection
10D
10W
11D
11W
12D
12W
13D
13W
14D
14W
15D
15W
16D
16W
Mesohaline
0
2
4
6
Polyhaline
Euhaline
Hyperhaline
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44
Salinity (ppt)
Bandtail puffer
Southern sennet
Gulf Stream flounder
Goby sp.
Puffer sp.
Pipefish sp.
Chub sp.
Banded killifish
Crested blenny
Lined sole
Redear sardine
Silver jenny
Marsh killifish
Sheepshead minnow
Checkered puffer
Lined seahorse
Hardhead silverside
Jewel cichlid
Clown goby
Spaghetti eel
Longsnout seahorse
Goldspotted killifish
Gulf pipefish
Bigeye mojarra
Jack sp.
Rainwater killifish
Code goby
Crested goby
Hogchoker
Gray snapper
Mosquitofish
Sailfin molly
Atlantic needlefish
Highfin blenny
Sargassum fish
Northern puffer
Dusky pipefish
Bluestriped grunt
Porgies sp.
Gulf killifish
Grunt sp.
Gulf toadfish
Killifish sp.
Redfin needlefish
Pugnose pipefish
Sargassum pipefish
Unidentified
Mangrove rivulus
Frillfin goby
Mojarra sp.
Dwarf seahorse
Yellowfin mojarra
Florida blenny
Fringed pipefish
Striped Mullet
Pinfish
Seahorse sp.
Mullet sp.
Spotted whiff
Collection 2007-2011
Distribution:
Median
25 and 75 percentiles
5 and 95 percentiles
Outliers
Halohabitats:
Mesohaline 5-18
Polyhaline Low18-24
Polyhaline High 24-30
Euhaline Low 30-35
Euhaline High 35-40
Hyperhaline >40
0
5
10
Euhaline Hyperhaline
30-40
<40
Polyhaline
18-30
Mesohaline
5-18
15
20
25
salinity 2007-2011
30
35
40
45
Crested goby
Least puffer
Great Barracuda
Tripletail
Mayan Cichlid
Goby sp.
Killifish sp.
Spotted whiff
Beloniformes sp.
Sheepshead minnow
Clown goby
Hardhead silverside
Sailor's choice
Rainwater killifish
Bandtail puffer
Lined sole
Mojarra sp.
Code goby
Pipefish sp.
Pupfish sp.
Mosquitofish
Goldspotted killifish
Gulf toadfish
Pearl Blenny
Percoidei*0
Gray snapper
Darter Goby
Chain Pipefish
Gulf pipefish
Seahorse sp.
Sheepshead
Dwarf seahorse
Needlefish sp.
Southern Puffer
Pinfish
Checkered puffer
Florida blenny
Silverside sp.
Unidentified
Halfbeak sp.
Mangrove Gambusia
Sailfin molly
Fringed pipefish
Collection 2012-2016
Distribution:
Median
25 and 75 percentiles
5 and 95 percentiles
Outliers
Halohabitats:
Mesohaline 5-18
Polyhaline Low18-24
Polyhaline High 24-30
Euhaline Low 30-35
Euhaline High 35-40
Hyperhaline >40
0
5
10
Euhaline Hyperhaline
30-40
<40
Polyhaline
18-30
Mesohaline
5-18
15
20
25
salinity 2012-2016
30
35
40
45
Cumulative species, by halohabitat, 2007-2011
65
60
55
50
45
# of species
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
07D
07W
08D
08W
Total
Me
09D
09W
PoL
10D
PoH
10W
EuL
11D
11W
Cumulative species, by halohabitat, 2012-2016
65
60
55
50
# of species
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
12D
12W
13D
13W
Total
14D
14W
Me
PoL
15D
PoH
15W
16D
16W
Species added after indicated initial year, by
halohabitat type.
Initial and after 2012
Initial and after 2007
35
35
30
30
25
25
20
20
15
15
10
10
5
5
0
0
Initial
Me
Dry
PoL
PoH
Wet
EuL
Initial
Dry
Me
PoL
Wet
PoH
Species added after indicated initial year, by season
Initial and after 2007
Initial and after 2012
25
25
20
20
15
15
10
10
5
5
0
Me
PoL
Initial
PoH
Dry
Wet
EuL
0
Me
PoL
Initial
Dry
PoH
Wet
Percentage by halohabitat 2007-2011
Percentage by halohabitat 2012-2016
EuL
0%
Me
3%
EuL
24%
PoH
33%
PoL
36%
PoH
37%
Me
14%
PoL
53%
Percentage by halohabitat, 2007-2016
EuL Me
11% 8%
PoH
39%
PoL
42%
Collection 2007-2016
Crested goby
Least puffer
Great Barracuda
Tripletail
Mayan Cichlid
Goby sp.
Southern sennet
Gulf Stream flounder
Bandtail puffer
Puffer sp.
Beloniformes sp.
Sheepshead minnow
Chub sp.
Killifish sp.
Banded killifish
Crested blenny
Lined sole
Sailor's choice
Redear sardine
Silver jenny
Marsh killifish
Hardhead silverside
Mojarra sp.
Clown goby
Lined seahorse
Pipefish sp.
Pupfish sp.
Mosquitofish
Jewel cichlid
Pearl Blenny
Percoidei*0
Rainwater killifish
Gray snapper
Darter Goby
Spaghetti eel
Goldspotted killifish
Longsnout seahorse
Chain Pipefish
Gulf pipefish
Bigeye mojarra
Jack sp.
Code goby
Checkered puffer
Hogchoker
Sheepshead
Needlefish sp.
Atlantic needlefish
Highfin blenny
Sargassum fish
Southern Puffer
Spotted whiff
Northern puffer
Silverside sp.
Dusky pipefish
Bluestriped grunt
Gulf toadfish
Dwarf seahorse
Porgies sp.
Seahorse sp.
Halfbeak sp.
Gulf killifish
Florida blenny
Mangrove Gambusia
Sailfin molly
Grunt sp.
Unidentified
Redfin needlefish
Pugnose pipefish
Sargassum pipefish
Mangrove rivulus
Frillfin goby
Yellowfin mojarra
Pinfish
Fringed pipefish
Striped Mullet
Mullet sp.
• Median
• 25 and 75 percentiles
• 5 and 95 percentiles
• Outliers
Halohabitats
• Mesohaline 5-18
• Polyhaline Low18-24
• Polyhaline High 24-30
• Euhaline Low 30-35
• Euhaline High 35-40
Polyhaline
18-30
Mesohaline
5-18
0
5
10
15
20
Hyperhaline
<40
Euhaline
30-40
25
salinity 2007-2016
30
35
40
45
• Hyperhaline >40
# of species
Cumulative number of species by halohabitat, 2007-2016
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Total
Me
PoL
PoH
EuL
Test of Hypotheses:
Number of years to 80% of asymptote with nonlinear
least squares equation for each halohabitat type based
on 10 years of cumulative species presence data.
Results: Species richness reaches 80%
of asymptote in less than 10 years for
all halohabitat types except
mesohaline, which may continue to
increase beyond 10 years.
?
Meso
PolyL
Analysis: Curves with
asymptotes were fitted to
trajectories of cumulative
species added by collection
(year-season).
PolyH
EuhL
Tot
0
2
4
6
8
Years to 80% asymptote
10
Test of Hypotheses:
Result: No significant difference in distribution of species
by halohabitat in 2012-2016 period compared to 20072015 period.
Number of species
2007-2011 vs. 2008-2016 species
25
20
15
10
5
0
2007-2011
2008-2016
2008-2016
2007-2011
Me
2
6
PoL
25
20
PoH
24
15
EuL
8
2
n = 102; X2 =4.703; p > 0.1
Halohabitat Color Key
Me
PoL
Classification consistent throughout: 7
Common Name
Scientific Name
Clown goby
Microgobius gulosus
Goldspotted killifish
Floridichthys carpio
Gulf pipefish
Syngnathus scovelli
Hardhead silverside
Atherinomorus stipes
Lined sole
Achirus lineatus
Pipefish sp.
Sygnathiidae
Sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
353
1768
750
1038
7
16
69
2007-2016
556
3590
1352
6358
14
71
133
2012-2016
203
1822
602
5320
7
55
64
Classification went from lower to higher salinity, contrary to halohabitat change: 2
Bandtail puffer
Sphoeroides spengleri
1
2
Checkered puffer
Sphoeroides testudineus
49
79
1
30
Classification went from higher to lower salinity, following halohabitat change: 13
Code goby
Gobiosoma robustum
313
856
Crested goby
Lophogobius cyprinoides
5
30
Dwarf seahorse
Hippocampus zosterae
9
23
Florida blenny
Chasmodes saburrae
1
7
Goby sp.
Gobiidae
4
62
Gray snapper
Lutjanus griseus
2
7
Killifish sp.
Cyprinodontiformes
18
70
Mojarra sp.
Gerridae sp.
37
595
Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
3
37
Rainwater killifish
Lucania parva
14949
26188
Seahorse sp.
Hippocampinae sp.
1
2
Spotted whiff
Citharichthys macrops
2
4
Unidentified
8
10
543
25
14
6
58
5
52
558
34
11239
1
2
2
Classification did not change from 1st 5yr to 10yr: 4
Code goby
Gobiosoma robustum
Fringed pipefish
Anarchopterus criniger
Gulf toadfish
Opsanus beta
Pinfish
Lagodon rhomboidalis
313
10
345
75
856
12
433
84
543
2
88
9
Distribution
by halohabitat
type of fish
species
common to
both 5-yr
periods
n = 26
X2 =10.29
p = 0.0119
Halohabitat Color Key
Me
PoL
Species present only in 2007-2011 period: 33
Common Name
Scientific Name
Atlantic needlefish
Strongylura marina
Banded killifish
Fundulus diaphanus
Bigeye mojarra
Eucinostomus havana
Bluestriped grunt
Haemulon sciurus
Chub sp.
Cyprinidae
Crested blenny
Hypleurochilus geminatus
Dusky pipefish
Syngnathus floridae
Frillfin goby
Bathygobius soporator
Grunt sp.
Haemulidae
Gulf killifish
Fundulus grandis
Gulf Stream flounder
Citharichthys arctifrons
Highfin blenny
Lupinoblennius nicholsi
Hogchoker
Trinectes maculatus
Jack sp.
Carangidae
Jewel cichlid
Hemichromis bimaculatus
Lined seahorse
Hippocampus erectus
Longsnout seahorse
Hippocampus reidi
Mangrove rivulus
Rivulus marmoratus
Marsh killifish
Fundulus confluentus
Mullet sp.
Mugilidae sp.
Northern puffer
Sphoeroides maculatus
Porgies sp.
Sparidae
Puffer sp.
Tetraodontidae sp.
Pugnose pipefish
Bryx dunckeri
Redear sardine
Harengula humeralis
Redfin needlefish
Strongylura notata
Sargassum fish
Histrio histrio
Sargassum pipefish
Syngnathus pelagicus
Silver jenny
Eucinostomus gula
Southern sennet
Sphyraena picudilla
Spaghetti eel
Moringua edwardsi
Striped Mullet
Mugil cephalus
Yellowfin mojarra
Gerres cinereus
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
1
2
113
2
1
4
1
4
8
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
5
1
2
1
4
3
1
1
2
4
9
4
1
15
2
2007-2016
1
2
113
2
1
4
1
4
8
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
5
1
2
1
4
3
1
1
2
4
9
4
1
15
2
2012-2016
n1 = 33; n2 = 17
X2 = 8.02
p = 0.036
Halohabitat Color Key
Me
PoL
Species present only in 2012-2016 period: 17
Common Name
Scientific Name
Beloniformes sp.
Beloniformes sp.
Chain Pipefish
Syngnathus louisianae
Darter Goby
Ctenogobius boleosoma
Great Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
Halfbeak sp.
Hemiramphidae
Least puffer
Sphoeroides parvus
Mangrove Gambusia
Gambusia rhizophorae
Mayan Cichlid
Cichlasoma urophthalmus
Needlefish sp.
Needlefish sp.
Pearl Blenny
Entomacrodus nigricans
Percoidei
Percoidei
Pupfish sp.
Cyprinodontidae
Sailor's choice
Haemulon parra
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Silverside sp.
Atherinidae
Southern Puffer
Sphoeroides nephelus
Tripletail
Lobotes surinamensis
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
2007-2016
1
1
1
3
1
1
4
1
17
1
1
196
1
2
120
1
1
2012-2016
1
1
1
3
1
1
4
1
17
1
1
196
1
2
120
1
1
Distribution by
halohabitat type of fish
species unique to 1st
(left) and 2nd (right) 5-yr
periods.
Test of Hypotheses:
NMDS plots and 2-way PERMANOVA results comparing
1) 1st and 2nd 5-yr period and 2) seasonal differences in
fish community species abundances
Result: Permanova suggests species abundance differs
significantly between between 1st and 2nd 5-yr period and season.
PERMANOVA results: Season F = 4.91, p = 0.004;
5-yr Period F = 2.84, p = 0.045
Perspective:
NMDS plot and 2-way PERMANOVA results comparing
salinity at sampling sites by 1) 1st and 2nd 5-yr period and
2) season.
Result: Permanova did not find significant differences in site
salinities, separated by season, between 5-yr periods.
PERMANOVA results: Season F = 4.06, p = 0.039;
5-yr Period F = 1.51, p = 0.222
• More than 5 years of data are required to confidently assign
species to halohabitat type based on the species’ median salinity;
10 years of data appear more reliable.
• Saturation curves fit to cumulative species curves explained more
than 90% of their variance and reached 80% of their asymptote in
less than 10 years.
• A contingency table test found no sig. diff. in distribution of species
among halohabitat types in 2nd vs. 1st 5-yr periods.
• Halohabitat type distributions differed significantly (↓ salinity) in
the 26 spp. common to both 5-yr periods.
• Halohabitat distributions differed between the 1st period unique
spp. (n=33) and 2nd period unique spp. (n=17) (↓ salinity).
• A 2-way PERMANOVA test found a significant difference in
species abundances between both 5-yr periods and seasons.
• A 2-way PERMANOVA test found a significant difference in site
salinities between seasons but not between 5-yr periods.
• Investigate species-specific contributions to community
differences between 5-yr periods.
• Further investigate community structure relative to
environmental gradients (i.e., expand NMDS analyses).
• Use other sources of information beyond present dataset to
develop a comprehensive list of species that could potentially
colonize a more consistent nearshore Biscayne Bay estuarine
habitat.
• Investigate food web structure of nearshore Biscayne Bay and
how this structure is affected by differing halohabitats and
associated spp.
THANK YOU !
• The BBEAM Team
Halohabitat Color Key
Common Name
Atlantic needlefish
Banded killifish
Bandtail puffer
Beloniformes sp.
Bigeye mojarra
Bluestriped grunt
Chain Pipefish
Checkered puffer
Chub sp.
Clown goby
Code goby
Crested blenny
Crested goby
Darter Goby
Dusky pipefish
Dwarf seahorse
Florida blenny
Frillfin goby
Fringed pipefish
Goby sp.
Goldspotted killifish
Gray snapper
Great Barracuda
Grunt sp.
Gulf killifish
Me
PoL
Scientific Name
Strongylura marina
Fundulus diaphanus
Sphoeroides spengleri
Beloniformes sp.
Eucinostomus havana
Haemulon sciurus
Syngnathus louisianae
Sphoeroides testudineus
Cyprinidae
Microgobius gulosus
Gobiosoma robustum
Hypleurochilus geminatus
Lophogobius cyprinoides
Ctenogobius boleosoma
Syngnathus floridae
Hippocampus zosterae
Chasmodes saburrae
Bathygobius soporator
Anarchopterus criniger
Gobiidae
Floridichthys carpio
Lutjanus griseus
Sphyraena barracuda
Haemulidae
Fundulus grandis
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
1
2
1
2007-2016
1
2
2
1
113
2
1
79
1
556
856
4
30
1
1
23
7
4
12
62
3590
7
3
8
1
2012-2016
113
2
49
1
353
313
4
5
1
9
1
4
10
4
1768
2
8
1
1
1
30
203
543
25
1
14
6
2
58
1822
5
3
1
Halohabitat Color Key
Common Name
Gulf pipefish
Gulf Stream flounder
Gulf toadfish
Halfbeak sp.
Hardhead silverside
Highfin blenny
Hogchoker
Jack sp.
Jewel cichlid
Killifish sp.
Least puffer
Lined seahorse
Lined sole
Longsnout seahorse
Mangrove Gambusia
Mangrove rivulus
Marsh killifish
Mayan Cichlid
Mojarra sp.
Mosquitofish
Mullet sp.
Needlefish sp.
Northern puffer
Pearl Blenny
Percoidei
Me
PoL
Scientific Name
Syngnathus scovelli
Citharichthys arctifrons
Opsanus beta
Hemiramphidae
Atherinomorus stipes
Lupinoblennius nicholsi
Trinectes maculatus
Carangidae
Hemichromis bimaculatus
Cyprinodontiformes
Sphoeroides parvus
Hippocampus erectus
Achirus lineatus
Hippocampus reidi
Gambusia rhizophorae
Rivulus marmoratus
Fundulus confluentus
Cichlasoma urophthalmus
Gerridae sp.
Gambusia affinis
Mugilidae sp.
Needlefish sp.
Sphoeroides maculatus
Entomacrodus nigricans
Percoidei
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
750
1
345
2007-2016
1352
1
433
1
6358
1
2
1
1
70
1
2
14
2
4
1
5
1
595
37
1
17
2
1
1
2012-2016
602
1038
1
2
1
1
18
2
7
2
1
5
37
3
1
2
88
1
5320
52
1
7
4
1
558
34
17
1
1
Halohabitat Color Key
Common Name
Pinfish
Pipefish sp.
Porgies sp.
Puffer sp.
Pugnose pipefish
Pupfish sp.
Rainwater killifish
Redear sardine
Redfin needlefish
Sailfin molly
Sailor's choice
Sargassum fish
Sargassum pipefish
Seahorse sp.
Sheepshead
Sheepshead minnow
Silver jenny
Silverside sp.
Southern Puffer
Southern sennet
Spaghetti eel
Spotted whiff
Striped Mullet
Tripletail
Unidentified
Yellowfin mojarra
Me
PoL
Scientific Name
Lagodon rhomboidalis
Sygnathiidae
Sparidae
Tetraodontidae sp.
Bryx dunckeri
Cyprinodontidae
Lucania parva
Harengula humeralis
Strongylura notata
Poecilia latipinna
Haemulon parra
Histrio histrio
Syngnathus pelagicus
Hippocampinae sp.
Archosargus probatocephalus
Cyprinodon variegatus
Eucinostomus gula
Atherinidae
Sphoeroides nephelus
Sphyraena picudilla
Moringua edwardsi
Citharichthys macrops
Mugil cephalus
Lobotes surinamensis
Gerres cinereus
PoH
EuL
No fish
2007-2011
75
16
1
4
3
2007-2016
84
71
1
4
3
196
26188
1
1
14
1
2
4
2
2
133
9
120
1
4
1
4
15
1
10
2
2012-2016
9
55
14949
1
1
9
2
4
1
69
9
4
1
2
15
8
2
196
11239
5
1
1
2
64
120
1
2
1
2
• Site
• Latitude and longitude
• Time
• Date
• Salinity
• Temperature
• Dissolved oxygen (DO)
• Conductivity
• pH
• Water depth
• Sediment depth
• SAV species-specific and community % cover (10-0.25 m² quadrats)
Salinity per site 2007-2011
07D
07W
08D
Collection
08W
09D
09W
10D
10W
11D
11W
Mesohaline
0
2
4
6
Polyhaline
Euhaline
Hyperhaline
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44
Salinity (ppt)
Salinity per site 2012-2016
12D
12W
13D
Collection
13W
14D
14W
15D
15W
16D
16W
Mesohaline
0
2
4
6
Polyhaline
Euhaline
Hyperhaline
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44
Salinity (ppt)
Halohabitat Categories, with
upper and lower salinity bounds:
Lower salinity
Upper salinity
boundary
boundary
Oligohaline
0.000
5.000
Mesohaline
5.001
18.000
Polyhaline Low
18.001
24.000
Polyhaline High
24.001
30.000
Euhaline Low
30.001
35.000
Euhaline High
35.001
40.000
Hyperhaline
40.001+
Halohabitat
• Oligohaline 0-5
• Mesohaline 5-18
• Polyhaline 18-30
– Poly Low 18-24
– Poly High 25-30
• Euhaline 30-40
• Hyperhaline >40
HYPOTHESES
1. The favorable salinity range for a fish species in a study
area is reflected in the distribution of individuals with
respect to salinity.
2. The fish community changes over time in response to
change in salinity.
3. Change in the fish community can be documented
quantitatively in a 5-yr period.
Hypotheses Tests with
Contingency Tables
Nonlinear least-squares regression
Test of Hypotheses 2 and 3:
NMDS plot and PERMANOVA results comparing first
(2007-2011) and second (2012-2016) fish community
species abundances
Result: At p ≤ 0.10,
Permanova suggests
species abundance
difference between
the first (2007-2011)
and second (20122016) 5 years.
PERMANOVA test result: p = 0.062
NMDS plot and PERMANOVA results of comparison of dry and
wet season fish species abundances over 10-year period, 2007-2016
Result: Difference
between dry season
and wet season
species abundance
distributions are
significant at p ≤ 0.05.
PERMANOVA results: p = 0.004
This overview of fish species in relation to salinity
covers the 10-yr period 2007-2016 and two 5-yr
periods within it: 2007-2011 and 2012-2016.
Our hypotheses:
1. The favorable salinity range for a fish species in a study
area is reflected in the distribution of individuals with
respect to salinity.
2. The nearshore fish community can be assigned to four
halohabitat types that change differently in response to
change in salinity.
3. Change in the fish community can be documented
quantitatively in a 5-yr period.