Location
SPREP LIBRARY
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Publication Year:
2016
Publication Place
Australia
Physical Description:
6p. : ill. ; 29cm.
Call Number
VF 7654
Collection
Material Type
Language
English
Record ID:
40737
Legacy PEIN ID:
80816
General Notes
1 copy|Link to purchase article available
Subject Heading(s)
Diadromy - Sustainable land use - Fiji
Fish species - Diversity
Protected areas
Protected areas - Oceania
Protected areas - Management
Reserves
Reserves - Oceania - Pacific
Fiji
Reserves - Fiji
Abstract
The freshwater ichthyofauna of the Fiji islands remained poorly documented before the establishment of the Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABITRA) network. The PABITRA approach assesses biodiversity along ocean-to-mountain transects and promotes sustainable land use on islands across the Pacific. Multiple surveys of freshwater fish species along the Viti Levu PABITRA transect have contributed six new occurrence records and one new species to the known freshwater fishes of Fiji since 2002. In total, 21 indigenous species of fish (9% endemic) from 10 families and no introduced fishes were found in the three PABITRA sites. Diversity was highest (16 species) at Savura forest reserve and decreased further inland into Sovi and Wabu. The assemblage found is dominated by highly migratory species (95%) that traverse the different aquatic habitats (marine, estuarine, lowland and upland streams) covered by the PABITRA transect. This high degree of connectivity highlights several growing issues affecting aquatic fauna on the high island of Viti Levu. The reduction in forest cover along the gateway transects, especially in the terminal reaches, and infrastructure development such as dams and weirs have deleterious effects on the migration routes of the Fijian ichthyofauna. Several species collected are important food sources and have cultural totemic importance to local inhabitants along the vertical transect. This paper documents the ichthyofauna of the Fiji gateway transect, ecological characteristics of this assemblage, IUCN Redlist conservation assessment status and highlights factors affecting the fragility and resilience of these communities, particularly focusing on the importance of life-history patterns and watershed conditions.
Location
SPREP LIBRARY
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Publication Year:
2016
Publication Place
Australia
Physical Description:
6p. : ill. ; 29cm.
Call Number
VF 7654
Collection
Material Type
Language
English
Record ID:
40737
Legacy PEIN ID:
80816
General Notes
1 copy|Link to purchase article available
Record Created: 22-Sep-2016
Record Modified: 15-Jul-2021