Changes in Fish Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Diversity and Their Driving Factors in a Reservoir in the Karst Basin of Southwest China.

Abstract

Dam construction can significantly alter local habitat characteristics and the distribution patterns of aquatic organisms. However, the variations in the multidimensional diversity of fish assemblages in reservoirs, as well as the relative significance of potential community assembly rules, remains poorly understood. This study elucidated the patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic α- and β-diversity with its decomposition components (i.e., turnover and nestedness) of fish assemblages in the Dongfeng Reservoir, situated in the karst basin of southwest China. Additionally, we evaluated the relative importance of environmental heterogeneity and spatial structure. We found significant nonlinear relationships (<i>p</i> < 0.05) between taxonomic and phylogenetic richness. Both fish taxonomic and phylogenetic β-diversity values were low (<0.33) with high turnover patterns (72.23% and 67.42%), underscoring the necessity for local managers to protect entire water areas to maintain or enhance community diversity. Only taxonomic and phylogenetic richness are significantly positively (e.g., water depth) and negatively (e.g., turbidity) affected by different environmental variables. Environmental heterogeneity was the dominant factor influencing both total β-diversity and turnover processes at the taxonomic and phylogenetic levels, while spatial distance primarily influenced the nestedness process. These findings are critical for elucidating changes in patterns of fish community diversity and their driving factors in the context of dam construction, providing a foundation for the conservation and management of aquatic organisms in other rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.