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Patterns of fish species richness in the Seine River basin, France

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Abstract

Variation in fish assemblage structure was examined in different rivers of the Seine Basin. Factor analysis was used to identify similarities among samples and species, and to show ichtyological changes along an upstream-downstream gradient. Fish species richness was correlated with catchment area, distance from the source and number of individuals. Relationships between species richness and number of individuals in a sample were largely an artifact of sampling.

Species richness increased with river size, reached a maximum in midsize rivers, then decreased in large rivers. This species richness pattern was consistent with the model of the River Continuum Concept. However, possible causes could include greater pollution effects in large rivers. Distribution of feeding guilds was related to river size. Species richness and proportion of omnivores and piscivores increased with river size, whereas species richness and proportion of invertivores declined downstream. These patterns suggest that trophic diversity of fish assemblages may be related to food availability.

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Author notes

  1. Thierry Oberdorff

    Present address: Département Environnement, Immeuble la Diagonale, Sepia International, 14 Avenue Gustave Eiffel, F-78182, Saint Quentin, Yvelines Cedex, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d Ichtyologie, Muséum National d Histoire Naturelle, 43 Rue Cuvier, F-75231, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Thierry Oberdorff & Eric Guilbert

  2. Conseil Supérieur de la Pêche, Délégation Régionale N° 1, 3 rue Sainte-Marie, F-60200, Compiègne, France

    Jean-Claude Lucchetta

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  1. Thierry Oberdorff
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  2. Eric Guilbert
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  3. Jean-Claude Lucchetta
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Oberdorff, T., Guilbert, E. & Lucchetta, JC. Patterns of fish species richness in the Seine River basin, France. Hydrobiologia 259, 157–167 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006595

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