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Habitat-specific fishing revealed distinct indicator species in German lowland lake fish communities

  1. MARKUS DIEKMANN1,*,
  2. UWE BRÄMICK2,
  3. ROLAND LEMCKE3,
  4. THOMAS MEHNER1

Article first published online: 28 JUL 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2005.01068.x

Issue

Journal of Applied Ecology

Journal of Applied Ecology

Volume 42, Issue 5, pages 901–909, October 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

DIEKMANN, M., BRÄMICK, U., LEMCKE, R. and MEHNER, T. (2005), Habitat-specific fishing revealed distinct indicator species in German lowland lake fish communities. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42: 901–909. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2005.01068.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Department Biology and Ecology of Fishes, POB 850 119, D-12561 Berlin, Germany;

  2. 2

    Institute of Inland Fisheries, Jägerhof, D-14476 Gross-Glienicke, Germany;

  3. 3

    Institute of Fisheries, State Research Centre Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, An der Jägerbäk 2, D-18069 Rostock, Germany

* Markus Diekmann, Fisheries Research Station, Untere Seestrasse 81, D-88085 Langenargen, Germany (fax + 49 7543 920820; e-mail Markus.Diekmann@lvvg.bwl.de).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 JUL 2005
  2. Article first published online: 28 JUL 2005
  3. Received 7 September 2004; final copy received 17 May 2005 Editor: Paul Giller

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Keywords:

  • indicator species analysis;
  • lake fish communities;
  • Norden multimesh gillnets;
  • standardized fishing;
  • Water Framework Directive

Summary

  • 1
    With the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive, the need for studies on European lake fish communities has increased to include lake type-specific fish community features. Although several standardized fish sampling methodologies are available, most previous fish community studies lack a simultaneous consideration of the littoral, benthic and pelagic habitats of lakes.
  • 2
    To compare habitat-specific fish communities, we sampled 67 lakes in the north-eastern German lowlands using Norden multimesh gillnets in the benthic and pelagic habitats, and electrofishing in the littoral zone.
  • 3
    Standardized catches and diversity of the fish community differed among the three habitats sampled. Species richness and Shannon diversity were higher in benthic and littoral habitats compared with pelagic habitats. Overall, the benthic habitat had the most homogeneous catches and contained the most diverse fish community.
  • 4
    Cluster analysis and subsequent indicator value analyses produced substantially different optimum cluster numbers for the three habitat-specific fish communities. Based on the significant differences in fish community composition among the habitats, a simultaneous consideration of numerical fish catches from all habitats was performed using standardized fish abundances.
  • 5
    The cluster analysis of the combined abundances resulted in three groups of lakes that were indicated by three fish species. Morphological descriptors (volume, area, maximum depth, mean depth) and descriptors related to the trophic situation (conductivity, total phosphorus) clearly distinguished the three lake groups.
  • 6
    All three habitats showed distinct characteristics with respect to either species diversity or relative species’ abundances. Our results do not support a conceptual model for all lakes of a gradual succession of fish communities as a result of eutrophication.
  • 7
    Synthesis and applications. Only simultaneous consideration of all lake habitats will fulfil the requirements of the Water Framework Directive for evaluating the ecological integrity of lakes. A pre-separation into at least two community types according to lake morphology is necessary before the deviation of the present fish community relative to a reference state can be determined.
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