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Vol. 47 No. 5, 2008
Effects of Typhoon Disturbance on the Abundances of Two Mid-Water Fish Species in a Mountain Stream of Northern Taiwan
Ling-Chuan Chuang1, Bao-Sen Shieh2, Chi-Chang Liu1,2,3, Yao-Sung Lin1,2,3, and Shih-Hsiung Liang 4,*
1Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
2Department
of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical
University, No. 100, Shihchuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
3Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan
4Department of Biotechnology, National Kaohsiung Normal University, 62 Sanchung Rd., Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan
Ling-Chuan Chuang, Bao-Sen Shieh, Chi-Chang Liu, Yao-Sung Lin, and Shih-Hsiung Liang (2008) The objective of this study was to use a 9 yr dataset to evaluate the responses of Onychostoma barbatula and Candidia barbata
abundances to 3 typhoon events in a mountain stream of northern
Taiwan. The association of habitat variables with fish abundances
was also explored. Bimonthly electrofishing was conducted at 4
sampling sites, and habitat variables of water depth and stream length
were measured after each fish sampling. Few or no significant
differences in fish abundances for each site were identified among
bimonthly sampling periods and years. Abundance variations did
not significantly differ before and after typhoon periods in the 9 yr
dataset, in typhoon years, or in non-typhoon years. These results
indicated that typhoon impacts on the abundances of these 2 mid-water
fishes are minor despite the potential for habitat alteration in
mountain streams of Taiwan. Mid-water fish in Taiwan may adapt to
flow fluctuations in mountain stream by their good swimming
performance, and by staying in or quickly dispersing to deeper regions
as refuges. Based on the results of this study, typhoons invading
Taiwan during the wet season should be cautiously regarded as a natural
disturbance. However, floods caused by typhoons which occur in
the dry season may still cause reproductive threats to aquatic
organisms in Taiwan. Given that global warming may become more
serious in the future, greater emphasis should be placed on determining
drought impacts on stream organisms in Taiwan as there is currently a
lack of academic information and in situ experience.
Key words: Typhoon disturbance, Onychostoma barbatula, Candidia barbata, Taiwan.
*Correspondence: Tel: 886-7-7172930 ext. 7310. Fax: 886-7-6051365. E-mail:shliang@nknucc.nknu.edu.tw
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