The Variation in a Fish Egg Community and Its Relationship with Environmental Factors in Daya Bay, South China Sea

Abstract

To assess the impact of the marine environment on the community of fish eggs in Daya Bay, we collected fish egg samples across four seasons during 2022. A total of 51 species of fish eggs were gathered. The fish egg community exhibited significant seasonal and spatial variations. The number of fish egg species was highest in spring and lowest in winter, while overall abundance peaked during summer. The abundance of eggs from large economic fish (Sparidae) showed a declining trend; however small pelagic fish (Leiognathidae, Engraulidae) have become dominant over time. Spatially, higher abundance is observed in the inner bay compared to the outer bay, particularly around coastal bank waters, near islands and reefs. Additionally, environmental factors and geographical location significantly influenced the fish egg community. For instance, Stolephorus continentalis and Photopectoralis bindus demonstrated a significant positive correlation with both temperature and water depth; conversely, Acanthopagrus schlegelii exhibited a negative correlation with water temperature.

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