Short-term temporal variations in taxonomic composition and trophic structure of a tropical estuarine fish assemblage

Abstract.

Temporal changes in an estuarine fish assemblage were investigated using two seine mesh nets. Major temporal changes in the fish fauna were a function of both monthly and, in particular, spring/neap differences, rather than short-term ebb/flood changes. This trend was relatively consistent for two sizes of mesh nets, suggesting that the occurrence of spring/neap changes in catch composition were a characteristic of the system and independent of the pool of available species. Trophic patterns were generally stronger and more consistent than taxonomic trends, a result highlighting the importance of detailed knowledge of feeding interactions in understanding the processes influencing temporal changes in multi-species communities.