Seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of demersal fish and invertebrates

Seasonal variation in species composition and abundance of demersal fish and invertebrates in a Seagrass Natural Reserve on the eastern coast of

the Shandong Peninsula, China

XU Qiang;GUO Dong;ZHANG Peidong;ZHANG Xiumei;LI Wentao;WU Zhongxin

【期刊名称】《中国海洋湖沼学报（英文版）》 【年(卷),期】2016(034)002

【摘要】Seagrass habitats are structurally complex ecosystems,which support high productivity and biodiversity.In temperate systems the density of seagrass may change seasonally,and this may influence the associated fish and invertebrate community.Little is known about the role of seagrass beds as possible nursery areas for fish and invertebrates in China.To study the functioning of a seagrass habitat in northern China,demersal fish and invertebrates were collected monthly using traps,from February 2009 to January 2010.The density,leaf length and biomass of the dominant seagrass Zostera marina and water temperature were also measured.The study was conducted in a Seagrass Natural Reserve (SNR) on the eastem coast of the Shandong Peninsula,China.A total of 22 fish species and five invertebrate species were recorded over the year.The dominant fish species were Synechogobius ommaturus,Sebastes schlegelii,Pholisfangi,Pagrus major and Hexagrammos otakii and these species accounted for 87％ of the