[Functional diversity of fishes in the Minjiang Estuary, Southeast China]

Based on samples collected by bottom trawl in May, August, November and December 2016 in the Minjiang Estuary, species richness and functional diversity of fishes, as well as their spatial-temporal variations, were quantified by a trait-based approach. The functional diversity varied with the changes of species richness. The species richness averaged across all stations were (17.8±5.1) species in spring, (22.4±5.6) in summer, (17.7±6.3) in autumn, and (12.1±2.3) in winter. Functional diversity also showed seasonal variation, with the highest in summer as (33.94±28.70), followed by (9.93±8.83) in winter, (11.30±7.55) in spring and (19.05±19.32) in autumn. The key functional species varied seasonally, as Setipinna taty contributing to 26% of the total functional value in spring, Polydactylus sextarius at 26% in summer, Harpadon nehereus climbing to 69% in autumn, and Collichthys lucidus at 38% in winter. The seasonal variations of fish species function were determined by life history and its interaction with other species.