The structural variability and composition of fish communities in the northern continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh were assessed from monsoon 2014 to pre-monsoon 2015. A total of 73 species from 43 orders, comprising 61 species of finfishes and 12 species of shellfishes were identified from estuarine set beg net (ESBN) fisheries. Of these, 60 were commonly found throughout the study period and 9 species were dominant with higher contribution to the total communities. Community parameters and abundance were higher in monsoon and lower in winter. Multivariate analysis revealed a clear variation in structure and composition of fish communities. RELATE (coefficient of correlation between the fisheries communities and environmental parameters) and BEST (Biota-environment best matching) analyses signify that these structural variations are driven by both single (transparency) and multi-stressors (salinity, transparency, phosphate-phosphorus PO4-P, nitrite-nitrogen NO2-N either individually or in combination with associated factors). Community parameters showed significant correlation with salinity, transparency and PO4-P which indicated that fisheries community structure is shaped by environmental conditions in coastal habitat.
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Structural variability and composition of fish communities in the northern continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh
The structural variability and composition of fish communities in the northern continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh were assessed from monsoon 2014 to pre-monsoon 2015. A total of 73 species from 43 orders, comprising 61 species of finfishes and 12 species of shellfishes were identified from estuarine set beg net (ESBN) fisheries. Of these, 60 were commonly found throughout the study period and 9 species were dominant with higher contribution to the total communities. Community parameters and abundance were higher in monsoon and lower in winter. Multivariate analysis revealed a clear variation in structure and composition of fish communities. RELATE (coefficient of correlation between the fisheries communities and environmental parameters) and BEST (Biota-environment best matching) analyses signify that these structural variations are driven by both single (transparency) and multi-stressors (salinity, transparency, phosphate-phosphorus PO4-P, nitrite-nitrogen NO2-N either individually or in combination with associated factors). Community parameters showed significant correlation with salinity, transparency and PO4-P which indicated that fisheries community structure is shaped by environmental conditions in coastal habitat.