What controls who is where in freshwater fish communities the roles of biotic, abiotic, and spatial factors

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2001 papers

Abstract

We examine evidence for the structuring of fish communities from stream and lake systems and the roles of biotic, abiotic, and spatial factors in determining the species composition. Piscivory by fish is a dominant factor in both stream and lake systems whereas evidence for the importance of competition appears less convincing. Within small streams or lakes, the impact of predation may exclude other species, thereby leading to mutually exclusive distributions and strong differences in community composition. Within a geographic region, abiotic effects frequently dictate the relative importance of piscivory, thereby indirectly influencing the composition of prey species present. The spatial scale of studies influences our perceived importance of biotic versus abiotic factors, with small-scale studies indicating a greater importance of competition and large-scale studies emphasizing abiotic controls. The scale of the individual sites considered is critical because smaller systems have higher variability and wider extremes of conditions than larger lakes and rivers. The stability of physical systems and degree of spatial connectivity contribute to increased diversity in both larger stream and larger lake systems. We identify challenges and needs that must be addressed both to advance the field of fish community ecology and to face the problems associated with human-induced changes.

Related Papers

• → Seasonal change in spatial variability of eelgrass epifaunal community in relation to gradients of abiotic and biotic factors(2018)15 cited
• → Abiotic and biotic regulators of the Asian citrus psyllid populations.(2020)4 cited
• → The effect of some biotic and abiotic factors on the fertility of planktonic rotifer species(1980)18 cited
• → Dynamics of Defoliation, Biotic and Abiotic Damage During 1986–1998(2000)2 cited
• → Relationships between biotic and abiotic components of broiler droppings fertilized pond ecosystems(2000)1 cited