Temporal Variations of the Demersal Fish Community in the Shallow Waters of Canakkale Strait, North Aegean Sea, during the Course of a Mucilage Event

摘要

The main aim of this study was to determine the mucilage event effect on the temporal variations of the shallow water demersal fish community in the Canakkale Strait. Sixty-one different demersal fish species were collected with a beach seine between September 2006 and August 2009. Mucilage event was observed between September 2007 and July 2008 (mucilage period) in the shallow waters of Canakkale Strait. Species abundance and richness decreased in winter and increased in spring and in summer and was related to water temperature variations. Demersal fish species composition was significantly different between seasons but these differences were mainly related to water temperature variations. For the same seasons in different years (pre-mucilage, during mucilage, and post-mucilage), no differences of fish abundance and species richness were evident. In conclusion, the fish community data from our shallow water samplings during the course of a mucilage event does not suggest any significant change in the abundance and species richness of the shallow water demersal fish assemblage in Canakkale Strait.