Species composition of epipelagic fish eggs in winter and spatiotemporal distribution of Engraulid eggs in the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan

• Main Authors: Yi -Yi, 蔣依依
• Other Authors: Meng-Hsien Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/rfn6pq

碩士 === 國立中山大學 === 海洋生物科技暨資源學系研究所 === 95 === This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of abundances of the fish eggs and Engraulid eggs in relation to environmental factors along the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan. Moreover, the key to fish eggs under an optical microscope in winter(January) was revised. Samplings were carried out on a bimonthly basis. In total, 38 tows were conducted from January to November 2003.The samplings of eggs were collected by horizontal hauls with NORPAC and cyclindricalconic net at the water surface along Jiading, Linyuan and Fangliao. Sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, dissolve oxygen, chlorophyll a concentration and density were measured simultaneously with a seabird CTD. The spatiotemporal distribution of the total eggs abundances of two kinds of nets were very similar, and more the abundance of cyclindricalconic net than the NORPAC net. Therefore, the total eggs abundance and species of cyclindricalconic net were adopted to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of the eggs along the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan. The total abundances of fish eggs demonstrated significant seasonal variations highest in July and lowest in November. The geographical difference was also observed that the highest abundances were recorded at Jiading, and followed by Linyuan and Fangliao. Based on the results of correlation analyses, it was revealed that the spatiotemporal fluctuations in the total abundances of fish eggs were significant positive correlated to the monthly variation of precipitation. 2,110 fish eggs were obtained from six samples in January, 2003, including Ophichthidae, Clupeidae, Synodontidae, Scaridae, Callionymidae, Soleidae , Cynoglossidae and Engraulidae. The fish eggs that couldn’t be identified were firstly sorted into 28 groups by the egg shape, size, and membrane pattern. Furthermore, they were stored into 64 species based on the presence or absence, and the pattern of pigmentation. The group BIII, Engraulids eggs and unknown dead eggs were the top three dominant species. Due to the different composition of the dominant species, there were significant differences in the spatial distribution. The species composition of dominant group were the Callionymids eggs and unknown dead eggs in Jiading. The species composition of dominance group were group BIII , Engraulids eggs and unknown dead eggs in Linyuan, and Fangliao. In 2003, Engraulids eggs were very abundant in the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan, representing 14% of the total fish egg abundances. Two peaks of Engraulids eggs abundances were found. One in the July to September 2003, and other one in January 2003. Spatial distribution in the abundances were also observed that the highest abundances were recorded at Fangliao, and followed by Linyuan and Jiading. The mortality rate of the Engraulids eggs was the reverse trends and spatial distribution of the Engraulids eggs abundances. The abundances of eggs were increased when precipitation was high and abundance of Amphipoda was low. The shape of Engraulids eggs was displayed regional differences. Engraulids eggs in Jiading and Fangliao were elongated shape, and oval shape in Linyuan. Seasonal variation in the egg shape was observed and also segregated into two groups representing elongated eggs group in May, July and September and oval eggs group in January, March and November, respectively. Engraulids eggs longitudinal diameter was significantly positive correlated with the SST and monthly precipitation, and were negatively correlated with sea surface salinity, dissolve oxygen and density. Maybe the group BIII was Mugilids eggs. Their spawning ground occurred in Linyuan. Furthermore, the spawning ground of both Callionymids eggs and Synodontids eggs were at Linyuan and Fangliao. The main spawning grounds of Engraulids eggs were at Linyuan and Fangliao along the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan. The peak spawning season were in summer and winter 2003. The spawning time of Engraulids eggs was approximately at 00:00 to 01:00. The spatiotemporal variations of Engraulids eggs size were influenced by the alternation of the spawning grounds of Engraulids fish along the coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan.