• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4 s.114
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• pp.482-493
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• 2005

The objective of this research was to evaluate an sampling effect of fish species and individual number on sampling techniques of electrofishing and conventional capture methods of cast net and kick net in 38 stream sites sampled during June - September, 2005. For the study, sampling gears were categorized as three types of electrofishing method (EM), conventional sampling technique (CM), and the combined technique (CT) of the electrofishing and the conventional method to compare statistical differences. Major differences of species composition between the CM and EM method were found in some benthic species of Misgurnus mizolepis and Iksookimia koreensis along with lithophilic species of Pungtungia herzi. These species were predominated in the EM rather than the CM, indicating that conventional sampling can underestimate the abundance of benthic or lithophilic species. In contrast ,individual number of typical water column species such as Zacco platypus and Zacco temmincki were more sampled by the CM, so that these fish populations were community overestimated. Also, t-tests on the types of sampling gear from various watersheds of Chogang Stream, Yugu Stream, Daejeon Stream, and Gap Stream showed that total individual numbers and species number in each stream were significantly (t values = 2.806-6.896, p values<0.05, n = 5-14) greater in the CT than the CM. Similar statistical significance (p<1.001, n = (10-24) on sampling seasons were observed during the monsoon and postmonsoon. These results indicate that if the electrofishing is not added to the conventional gears, the abundance of fish population and community can be underestimated and some benthic or lithophilic species may be excluded from the analysis, resulting in overall errors including sampling, fish fauna, and final judgement of community abundance. Overall our results strongly suggest that new application of electrofishing method along with the conventional sampling gears reduce sampling bias on underestimation of the real fish populations and communities.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.207-217
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• 2005

The fish described in this paper were sampled from four watersheds in the Eastern, Chao Phraya, Peninsular, and Maeklons regions of central Thailand, between the years 2000-2004. A total of 124 species were captured from 160 stream and river sites, using an electrofishing method. 33 of these species were captured in the Eastern region and 42 in the Peninsular region. In the Chao Phraya and Maeklong areas, the fish species were both more abundant and more varied, and 52 and 91 species, respectively, were collected in these regions. Seven species (Brachydanio albolineatus, Rasbora paviei, System us binotatus, Homaloptera smithi, Monopterus albus, Macrognathus circumcintus, Channa gaucha) were commonly found in all of the watersheds.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.383-388
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• 2015

Reservoirs consist of two different environments, the littoral and the pelagic zone, and different fishing gear is commonly used in each zone-gill nets in the pelagic zone and electrofishing in the littoral zone. However, an active fishing gear, the cast net, is normally used instead of electrofishing for scientific studies in South Korea. In order to estimate cast net effectiveness for determining fish status in reservoirs, the study was conducted at 15 reservoirs with two different fishing gears: a cast net in the littoral zone and gill nets in the pelagic zone. When combining catches of both gears, species richness increased substantially compared to using one gear only. There was a size difference in fish caught by each net, and small fish were predominantly caught with the cast net due to its small mesh size (7 mm). The combined length of six species, used for length-weight relationship analysis, collected with the cast net was smaller than that collected with gill nets (independent t-test, P < 0.05). In this study, cast net sampling provided sufficient data for the littoral zone, but not enough to identify the overall fish assemblage in studied reservoirs. Utilization of only one gear can therefore lead to substantial underestimation of fish status, and a combination of both gears is recommended for determining more reliable estimates of fish status in reservoirs.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2019

Background: Habitat selectivity and ecology of freshwater fishes were studied in two selected streams and their junction point which consist a total of 39 microhabitats. The aims of this study were to describe the habitat preference and its availability to fish assemblage, as well as ecology, habitat use, and habitat characteristics. Methods: We collected fish with backpack electrofishing three times during August 2013, December 2013, and March 2014. Using a variation partitioning approach of R software, we studied the relationship of fish abundances with stream type, habitat type, and abundance of key macroinvertebrate taxa. Results: A total of 6554 fishes representing four species belonging to the family Cyprinidae were caught. A higher total fish abundance was recorded from Gereb Tsedo (4870; 74.3%) than from Elala stream (1684; 25.7%). Taking both streams together, the overall total relative fish abundance was significantly higher in pools (53%) than in runs (35%) and in riffles (12%) at P < 0.05. Species-wise comparisons showed that 71%, 15%, 13%, and 1% of the pool fish community were occupied by Garra blanfordii, Garra ignestii, Garra dembecha, and Garra aethiopica, respectively. Stream type, habitat type, and key macroinvertebrate taxa each explained a significant proportion of the variation in fish abundance. Based on the variation partitioning approach, fish abundance was higher in Gereb Tsedo stream (P < 0.01). Moreover, fish abundance increased with pool habitat type (P < 0.01) and with availability of key macroinvertebrate taxa (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Fish abundance differed between stream types, among habitats and among key macroinvertebrate taxa availability. Among the factors, habitat type was the most important driving factor behind variation among fish abundances, and pool supports the highest fish abundance.