Long-term monitoring of fish (abundance and distribution) in Doñana Wetlands 2004-2019

Study Extent

The study area is located in southwest Spain in the Guadalquivir Basin and cover the Natural Area of Doñana (Natural Park with 538,35 km2 and National Park with 542,51 km2). The climate is Mediterranean sub-humid with Atlantic coast influence: wet mild winters and dry warm summers. The rainy period occurs between October and April, with a peak in December–January (yearly average precipitation is about 550 mm). Four main ecosystems are described in the area: the marsh, mobile dunes, Mediterranean shrubland with pine forests and a long beach of 30 kms.

Sampling

The monitoring of the fish community in Doñana wetlands was initiated in 2004 as part of the Monitoring Program of Natural Resources and Processes. The aim was to obtain a temporal and continuous series of data in the abundance and distribution of fish species to analyze the evolution of their numbers and estimates biodiversity values. Data were recorded annually between 2004-2019 by more than 2 members of the monitoring team which performed samplings in different locations twice per year in winter-spring and summer seasons when the study sites are flooded.

Quality Control

The protocol used has been supervised by researchers and the data have been validated by the members who performed the sampling.

Method steps

1. The fishes were sampled at the 139 stations classified according to their location (on either aeolian sands or marshland). Funnel traps were used as a sampling method. Between 5-9 funnel traps were randomly distributed (until 50 cm of depth) in each location, depending of the flooded area and depth. The traps were left for 24 hours and emptied the content into white sorting pans. Individuals were counted and identified until the maximun taxonomic level in the field and realease. During samplings, it was identified 15 families. The most abundances were Poecilidae and Cyprinidae. Data recorded during the surveys included species identification, number of individuals, sex and life stage (pupa, larvae, inmature, mature) of the organisms when possible, as well as the time and georreferenced data of the observation. Between 2004-2007 data was registered in Excel file and since 2008 data was recorded in CyberTracker sequence).

The list of fish species include 24 taxa from 15 families.

1. Ameiurus melas
2. Anguilla anguilla
3. Aphanius baeticus
4. Atherina boyeri
5. Carassius auratus
6. Chelon labrosus
7. Cobitis paludica
8. Cyprinus carpio
9. Dicentrarchus labrax
10. Dicentrarchus punctatus
11. Fundulus heteroclitus
12. Gambusia holbrooki
13. Lepomis gibbosus
14. Liza aurata
15. Liza ramada
16. Liza saliens
17. Luciobarbus sclateri
18. Micropterus salmoides
19. Mugil cephalus
20. Pomatoschistus
    rank: genus
21. Sardina pilchardus
22. Solea senegalensis
23. Solea vulgaris
24. Sparus aurata

The study area covers the Doñana Wetlands on either aeolian sands or marshland.