Gong Yuyan, Zhang Jun, Chen Zuozhi, Cai Yancong, Yang Yutao
College of Marine Living Resource Sciences and Management, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China.
Biology (Basel). 2024 Sep 21;13(9):740. doi: 10.3390/biology13090740.
Coral reef fish are important groups of coral reefs, which have great economic and ecological value. Meiji Reef is a representative tropical semi-enclosed atoll in the South China Sea, with rich fish resources. Based on the data from hand-fishing, line-fishing, and gillnet surveys of fish in Meiji Reef from 1998 to 2018, this study summarized the fish species list of Meiji Reef and analyzed the species composition, inclusion index at the taxonomic level (TINCL), genus-family diversity index (G-F index), average taxonomic distinctness index (Δ), and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ) and their changes. The results revealed that from 1998 to 2018, there were 166 reef-dwelling fish species on Meiji Reef, belonging to 69 genera, 33 families, and 11 orders, of which 128 species were from 20 families of Perciformes, accounting for 77.10% of the total cataloged species. Regarding the dependence of fish on coral reefs, there were 155 reef-dependent species or resident species (accounting for 93.37%) and 11 reef-independent species or wandering species (accounting for 6.63%). The TINCL of the order, families, and genus of fish in Meiji Reef were very high. The genus diversity index (G index), family diversity index (F index), and G-F index of fish in Meiji Reef were very high, and the G index of fish in Meiji Reef in 1998-1999 was higher than that in 2016-2018. The Δ and Λ values of fish in Meiji Reef from 1998 to 2018 were 56.1 and 148.5, respectively. Compared with 1998-1999, Δ and Λ of fish increased during 2016-2018, reflecting that the relatives of fish in Meiji Reef became further distant, and the uniformity of taxonomic relationships among species decreased. The research findings indicated that fish exhibited a high taxonomic diversity in Meiji Reef; however, it also revealed significant fluctuations in the fish diversity of Meiji Reef over an extended period, emphasizing the urgent need for timely protection measures. This investigation significantly contributes to our comprehension of the intricate dynamics governing fish species within Meiji Reef and holds broader implications for biodiversity conservation in tropical marine ecosystems.
珊瑚礁鱼类是珊瑚礁的重要生物群体，具有重要的经济和生态价值。美济礁是南海典型的热带半封闭环礁，鱼类资源丰富。本研究基于1998年至2018年对美济礁鱼类的手钓、延绳钓和刺网调查数据，总结了美济礁鱼类物种名录，并分析了物种组成、分类水平包含指数（TINCL）、属-科多样性指数（G-F指数）、平均分类差异指数（Δ）、分类差异变异（Λ）及其变化。结果显示，1998年至2018年，美济礁有166种栖息于珊瑚礁的鱼类，隶属于69属、33科、11目，其中128种来自鲈形目20个科，占总记录物种数的77.10%。就鱼类对珊瑚礁的依赖程度而言，有155种依赖珊瑚礁的物种或定居物种（占93.37%）和11种不依赖珊瑚礁的物种或洄游物种（占6.63%）。美济礁鱼类的目、科、属的TINCL非常高。美济礁鱼类的属多样性指数（G指数）、科多样性指数（F指数）和G-F指数非常高，1998 - 1999年美济礁鱼类的G指数高于2016 - 2018年。1998年至2018年美济礁鱼类的Δ值和Λ值分别为56.1和148.5。与1998 - 1999年相比，2016 - 2018年鱼类的Δ值和Λ值增加，反映出美济礁鱼类的亲缘关系变得更远，物种间分类关系的均匀度降低。研究结果表明，美济礁鱼类表现出较高的分类多样性；然而，研究还揭示了美济礁鱼类多样性在较长时期内存在显著波动，强调了及时采取保护措施的紧迫性。本调查对我们理解美济礁内鱼类物种的复杂动态有重要贡献，并对热带海洋生态系统的生物多样性保护具有更广泛的意义。
