Fish diversity patterns in Pueblo Viejo lagoon,Veracruz, México

Abstract

The spatial and seasonal patterns of fish species richness, diversity, evenness and dominance of the fish
community were studied at Pueblo Viejo lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico. A Principal Component Analysis, using five abiotic factors, showed an environmental pattern defined by two climatic periods, rainy and dry seasons. Species diversity, evenness and dominance were correlated significantly (Ps<0.05) with temperature. Sixty-six species were collected and overall fish abundance was dominated by Anchoa mitchilli, Bairdiella chrysoura and Membras martinica. Spatially, the richness and diversity were significantly (Ps<0.01) higher on sites with submerged vegetation and in those near to the lagoons inlet. On sites with submerged vegetation the dominating species were Diapterus auratus and Lagodon rhomboides, whereas the sites with no vegetation, were dominated by Cathorops melanopus and Brevoortia gunteri. Seasonally, richness and diversity peaks coincided with pulses of temperature and primary production of the system. Moreover, the rains exerted a significant (P<0.01) effect on species richness, with a one-month delayed effect. The dominance of D. auratus and C. melanopus during rainy season, seems to be related with their trophic activity; whereas the dominance of L. rhomboides and B. gunteri during the dry season, is related with their recruitment patterns. In general, it could be considered that fish community parameters tend to be stable temporally and vary in space, which suggests that the submerged vegetation could play a more important role in the fish community diversity, than those factors with major temporal influence, such as temperature, precipitation and production processes.