Seasonal Trends in Epibenthic Fish Assemblages in the Near-shore Waters of the Western Yellow Sea, Qingdao, People's Republic of China

Seasonal trends in epibenthic fish assemblages in the near-shore waters of Shandong Province, People's Republic of China, were characterized by 82 tows using a 4·9m otter trawl at three 16km−2sites sampled semi-monthly from March through November 1993. Fish assemblages were composed of 15 families and 27 species. Two families, each with six representative species, dominated the catch; Sciaenidae and Gobiidae. All individuals of the commercially important white croakerArgyrosomus argentatus(Houttuyn) were young of the year (YOY), with a maximum standard length (SL) of 18·0cm (mean=5·0±3·2cm). Mean fish abundance and biomass were estimated at 29·3 individuals ha−1and 189·1g ha−1, respectively. Highest abundance, lowest diversity and lowest evenness occurred in September (771 individuals ha−1; diversity, H′=1·22; evenness, J′=0·34; species richness, S=12), whereas highest biomass, diversity and species richness were recorded in July (4760g ha−1; H′=2·61; S=14). Lowest abundance was found in May (110 individuals ha−1), and lowest species richness and mean biomass in March (S=11;626 4g ha−1). Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance showed significant differences among sites for monthly mean abundance, biomass and taxa per tow. Consistently higher values in abundance and biomass were found at one of three sites (North site), perhaps due to differences in sediment type and composition or influences from nearby Jiaozhou Bay.