Abstract

ARAGON-FLORES, Edgar Abraham et al. Temporal variation of the fish community abundance from the delta of the Usumacinta River, Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2021, vol.92, e923072.  Epub Nov 29, 2021. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e.2021.92.3072.

Estuaries are dynamics systems, with great spatiotemporal variation in their environmental and biological characteristics. In this study, we analyzed the community attributes such as richness, diversity, evenness, species and trophic guild abundance, of the ichthyofauna in the delta of the Usumacinta River during rain, dry and north wind seasons. A total of 603 individuals belonging to 15 orders, 23 families, 31 genera and 40 species were obtained. Dorosoma petenense, Cathorops aguadulce, Bairdiella ronchus, Bagre marinus, Thorichthys helleri and Megalops atlanticus, were the most abundant species, comprising 58.53% of the total abundance. Six trophic guilds were observed with zooplantivorous and zoobentivorous species having the most abundant number of individuals (50.20%). Species richness, diversity, equitability and trophic guilds abundance did not vary significantly between seasons and systems. Species abundance were significantly higher during “nortes” season. The general linear mixed model identified salinity, temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen and pH as the variables that best predicted the temporal changes of fish abundance. In this way, the region’s seasonality modifies the environmental characteristics and the fish assemblage reacts similarly to the contrasting conditions.

Keywords : Gulf of Mexico; Fluvio-lagoon estuarine systems; Species abundance; Trophic guilds.

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