Natural and Human Influences on Fish Species Richness in Small North Temperate Lakes: Implications for Bioassessment

Autor: Michael A. Bozek, Clayton J. Edwards, Martin J. Jennings, Gene R. Hatzenbeler
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 24:7-18
ISSN: 2156-6941
0270-5060
DOI: 10.1080/02705060.2009.9664260
Popis: We developed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models to predict fish species richness as a function of two simple landscape-scale, binary variables (surface water connectivity to other aquatic systems and human riparian development), with lake surface area as the covariate. All three variables were significantly related to species richness and explained 61 % of the variance in a data set from 55 limnologically similar lakes in northern Wisconsin. We developed additional ANCOVA models to assess the relative effects of these three variables on four functional species groups, including gamefish, riverine, tolerant, and intolerant species. The number of gamefish species was greater in lakes with riparian development than in undeveloped lakes; this is probably related to introductions by management agencies and anglers. Connectivity increased the number of riverine species and intolerant species. Intolerant species may be more abundant because connecting streams provide colonization routes and decrease...
Databáze: OpenAIRE