Unveiling the effects of environmental factors and Yellow River inputs on the ichthyoplankton community structure in...

To unravel the effects of environmental factors on fishery resources in the bay, we conducted six biological and environmental surveys in the Laizhou Bay between 2013 and 2020. The findings of our study illuminated several key aspects: (1) The annual discharge of water and sediment from the Yellow River to Laizhou Bay exhibited notable variations, while concurrently, environmental factors including temperature, salinity, and suspended particle matter underwent fluctuations, yet remained within a relatively stable range overall. (2) A total of 8318 eggs and larvae belonging to 10 orders, 16 families, and 19 genera were collected. Significant interannual fluctuations had been documented in the species composition, abundance, and biodiversity of ichthyoplankton. Notably, both Shannon-Wiener diversity index and Pielou evenness index were significantly negatively correlated with suspended particle matter concentration. (3) The water and sediment discharge significantly positively correlated with the number of cold-temperature species. However, the sediment input negatively correlated with the number of continental shelf benthopelagic fish. (4) Redundancy and correlation analyses confirmed the strong link between spatial and temporal distribution of fish communities and environmental factors, with salinity and dissolved oxygen key for ichthyoplankton abundance. Our research offers a scientific foundation for targeted fishery protection and management, which is crucial for preserving the ecological functions of spawning grounds in the bay.