The physical–chemical habitat of the Buenos Aires pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Teleostei, Atherinopsidae), with a proposal of a water quality index
Abstract
The pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes 1835) (Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae) is a highly valued food and sport fish both in Argentina and abroad, and has been introduced in numerous natural and manmade environments in this country, Chile, Japan, and Italy. Considering a wide array of environments, where the pejerrey lives and somewhere it does not, we demonstrate its considerable eurytopy and define its range as water traits and chemical composition concern. Moreover, as pejerrey's natural habitat, the pampasic lagunas (lakes of third-order) in temperate Argentina display a wider range of chemistry traits than many other environments throughout the country, we confirm its adaptability, suggested by previous introduction success. Relative influence of total conductivity and particular ions is evaluated, as well as the relationship of water traits with the fish distribution. A water quality index is provided, which allows the determination of the best conditions for pejerrey cultivation in both artificial and natural conditions. The index summarizes many traits of the realized niche of the fish.
- Publication:
-
Environmental Biology of Fishes
- Pub Date:
- February 2007
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s10641-006-9086-4
- Bibcode:
- 2007EnvBF..78..161G
- Keywords:
-
- Water chemistry;
- Aquaculture;
- Temperate limnology;
- Ecological indices