Littoral fishes of Lake Taal [Batangas, Philippines]
1997
Pagulayan, R.C. | Lopez, N.C. | Magbanua, F.S. (Philippines Univ. Diliman, Diliman 1101, Quezon City (Philippines). Inst. of Biology and Natural Sciences Research Inst.)
As demand for commercial and recreational development of lake shorelines continues to increase, knowledge of the effects of littoral-zone alterations on habitats used by the community assumes greater importance. Yet, less is known about the structures of nearshore fish communities even without anthropogenic disturbances. This study was undertaken to update information on the present diversity of Lake Taal littoral fishes and identified physical and chemical factors which influence fish abundance and distribution. Three stations were sampled for water quality and fish abundance from February to December 1996. A total of 20 littoral zone fish species belonging to 16 families have so far been identified. Pearson correlation coefficients between abundance of A. thermalis and Leiopotherapon plumbeus on pH and DO concentrations, respectively, were significant (P0.05). Phosphorus and Glossogobius giurus abundance also have a strong positive correlation. An endemic fish, Sardinella tawilis, from Lake Taal has a strong positive correlation with transparency, nitrite and conductivity. The aquatic environment, either stimulating the growth rate of the fish directly or acting indirectly to increase food supply, may influence fish species distribution. Nonetheless, further investigations on the biology of these species would be needed to clearly determine the cause or causes of such distribution
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