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Abstract

Fish utilization of an Avicennia marina mangrove forest in the estuary of Puzih River, in Chiayi County, Taiwan, was investigated based on quarterly sampling surveys in 2008. Fishes were sampled during four ebbing tides on two consecutive days using fyke nets. A total of 1375 individuals weighting 19.2 kg were caught, belonging to 23 families and 37 species. The fish community was dominated by juvenile individuals of estuarine transient species and exhibited significant seasonal variations. The most numerous species were the spotted catfish (Arius maculatus, representing 40% of the total biomass) and the shortnose ponyfish (Leiognathus brevirostris, representing 33% of the total numbers). Habitat utilization by fish in the mangroves was significantly affected by time of year, but no significant effects of diel periodicity were found. The results confirmed the role of mangroves in the Puzih River estuary as a nursery habitat for nearshore fish.

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