Abstract:
Fish populations of Great Meadows Salt Marsh in Stratford, Connecticut were sampled twice monthly over a 1-year period using a beach seine. Temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen was measured at each of 5 stations preceding each seine haul. A total of 6,806 individuals comprising 17 species and weighing 21,302.5 grams were collected. One other species not collected in the day samples was collected in a night sample. Fundulus heteroclitus was found to be the most abundant species comprising over 70 percent of all the individuals collected. Three species; Fundulus heteroclitus. F. majalis, and Menidia menidia; were present in all four seasons. The number of species, number of individuals, and total biomass was seasonally correlated. Species diversity as measured by the Shannon-Wiener index (H'), Margalef index of richness (D), and the Help index of eveness (E), all fluctuated widely throughout the year with no seasonal correlation. Diversity values i n Mid-Atlantic state salt marshes were generally higher than those found in this study.
Description:
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