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Daya Bay is a semi-enclosed bay in the South China Sea which is a coastal ecosystem with significant ecological and economic value that is subjected to a variety of anthropogenic disturbances. However, long-term variation in fish community structure in this Bay remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to explore the changing characteristics of fish species composition and community structure in Daya Bay during the past 30 years using data from 1989 to 2021 from bottom trawl surveys and historical literature data. As of now, a total of 544 species of fish have been identified in the Bay, belonging to 24 orders and 125 families. The structure of the fish community in the bay has changed over time. Firstly, there has been a clear decrease in the number of species and biomass of large fish. Secondly, the number of fish constituent orders and families has decreased. Moreover, both the average taxonomic distinctness and variation in taxonomic distinctness decreased from 1989 to 2021. Thirdly, there is low similarity among fishes at different time phases and distinct changes in the composition of dominant species. Present results indicate that the fish community structure in Daya Bay has tended to reflect a decline in diversity, shifts in composition, and shrinking of fish body size in the past 30 years. This study improves our understanding of fish species composition and its drivers over time in Daya Bay, providing important knowledge to support the protection and restoration of this ecosystem and the important ecosystem services it provides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding consumer–resource interactions is essential for understanding the trophic dynamics of species-rich fish communities. Woodland et al. (Oikos 125:556–565, 2016) assumed that trophic position (TP) distributions of primary consumers and tertiary species are restricted versus intermediate consumers tending to be omnivores with broader TP distribution, where these omnivores often dominate the overall biomass. With rare evidence supporting this hypothesis in a river, we tested it in the species-rich Pearl River fish assemblage, China. Using bulk stable isotope (SI) approach (δ13C, δ15N), the TPs, SI distribution parameters, isotopic niche sizes (as standard ellipse areas, SEA) and interspecific niche overlap were calculated for the abundant fish species. Fishes of intermediate TPs (i.e. omnivores) had larger δ13C variance/ range, broader isotopic niches and higher niche overlap compared to fishes at low TPs and high TPs, indicating a higher degree of trophic redundancy among the omnivores, whereas high TP fish had narrower niche and lower niche overlap, indicating trophic partitioning among tertiary species. These omnivores at intermediate TPs between 2.4 and 2.8 dominated fish biomass. The results not only support the Woodland et al. (Oikos 125:556–565, 2016) hypothesis in the river, but also provide a novel explaining in how niche sizes and overlap vary by TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisheries and bottom seawater data were collected in July in 2022 and 2023 from 15 sampling stations in the Huanghe River estuary and adjacent seas in China. The patterns of functional alpha and beta diversity of fish communities in this area and their relationships with environmental factors were studied using trait-based analysis. Five functional classifications, which included 16 functional traits, four functional alpha diversity indices (functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean), three functional beta diversity indices (functional beta diversity and its turnover and nestedness components), and 14 bottom environmental factors were considered. The dominant traits of fish communities were the following: benthivorous feeding habits, small and front-facing mouths, high trophic level, demersal, anguilliform, low growth coefficient, medium resilience, low vulnerability, and adapted to warm temperate conditions. The dominant migration traits and types of fish eggs varied by year, and fish abundance was the main factor affecting the dominant traits of the communities. The results of multiple regression on distance matrices and variance partitioning analysis indicated that ammonia nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, and pH were the main environmental factors that affected fish functional diversity. The N/P ratio had a bottom-up control effect on fish functional diversity. Our findings also revealed that high pH gradients and distant geographical distances can inhibit trait turnover in fish communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish are vital in river ecosystems; however, traditional investigations of fish usually cause ecological damage. Extracting DNA from aquatic environments and identifying DNA sequences offer an alternative, noninvasive approach for detecting fish species. In this study, the effects of environmental DNA (eDNA), coupled with PCR and next‐generation sequencing, and electrofishing for identifying fish community composition and diversity were compared. In three subtropical rivers of southern China, fish specimens and eDNA in water were collected along the longitudinal (upstream–downstream) gradient of the rivers. Both fish population parameters, including species abundance and biomass, and eDNA OTU richness grouped 38 sampling sites into eight spatial zones with significant differences in local fish community composition. Compared with order‐/family‐level grouping, genus‐/species‐level grouping could more accurately reveal the differences between upstream zones I−III, midstream zones IV−V, and downstream zones VI–VIII. From the headwaters to the estuary, two environmental gradients significantly influenced the longitudinal distribution of the fish species, including the first gradient composed of habitat and physical water parameters and the second gradient composed of chemical water parameters. The high regression coefficient of alpha diversity between eDNA and electrofishing methods as well as the accurate identification of dominant, alien, and biomarker species in each spatial zone indicated that eDNA could characterize fish community attributes at a level similar to that of traditional approaches. Overall, our results demonstrated that eDNA metabarcoding can be used as an effective tool for revealing fish composition and diversity, which is important for using the eDNA technique in aquatic field monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Understanding the patterns and drivers of biodiversity across space and time is commonly based on species diversity, which may ignore species' functional role and evolutionary history and result in an incomplete understanding of community assembly. It is suggested that integrating species, functional, and phylogenetic diversity could provide a more holistic assessment of community assembly in natural ecosystems. This study aimed to explore the elevational patterns and environmental drivers of multiple facets of fish diversity and community structure in a subtropical river during the wet and dry seasons. Location: The Chishui River basin, China. Methods: We investigated the responses of fish species richness, functional richness, and phylogenetic diversity to elevation in different seasons. Moreover, we compared functional dispersion and mean pairwise distance with those obtained from null models to infer assembly mechanisms shaping community structure. Additionally, we examined the environmental drivers (e.g. water chemistry, temperature, and river size) of fish diversity and community structure. Results: Fish species richness, functional richness, and phylogenetic diversity showed a negative relationship with elevation in the Chishui River basin. Fish communities tended to be on average functionally random but phylogenetically clustered. Furthermore, phylogenetic structure exhibited a decreasing pattern along the elevational gradient. Despite no significant seasonal changes for fish diversity (except for phylogenetic diversity), fish communities became more phylogenetically overdispersed and clustered at low and high elevations in the dry season. Additionally, the responses of fish diversity and community structure to environmental variables were not synchronous. Conclusions: At the basin scale, environmental filtering was prevalent in shaping fish phylogenetic structure, whereas stochasticity was likely more important for functional structure. Moreover, the ecological mechanisms shaping individual fish communities switched from limiting similarity to environmental filtering as elevation increased, and the underlying forces at two ends of the elevational gradient became more prominent in the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on arousal theory, we argue that clarifying the mechanism of tourist fatigue on tourist satisfaction is critical for better understanding tourists visiting crowded attractions. A field survey was conducted in Zengcuoan, China's most artistic fishing village. We revealed that, contrary to expectations, tourist fatigue does not always have a negative impact on tourist satisfaction, implying that, similar to the contrast phenomenon of "poor but happy", "fatigue but satisfaction" may exist in tourism because there must be something to entice tourists in congested areas. Furthermore, we demonstrated that tourists with high experience quality may mitigate the negative effects of tourist crowding on tourist satisfaction from the theoretical perspective of arousal theory. We then propose that tourism authorities improve experience quality by creating a high-quality tourism experience, and even a one-of-a-kind and unforgettable experience for tourists. Nonetheless, we argue that finding more creative ways to reduce "fatigue" and increase "satisfaction" for tourists is critical for the tourism industry's success, especially given the industry's current competitive conditions. As a result, we believe there is still room for further research into these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using unregulated tributaries to compensate fish habitat loss in dammed mainstreams has recently been suggested as a promising strategy for river ecological restoration. One critical prerequisite is to find potential tributaries as alternative habitat, which depends on precise fish community surveys. In this study, both eDNA metabarcoding and electrofishing were used to characterise fish community compositions in the dammed lower Jinsha river and its tributaries (Heishui, Pudu, and Xiaojiang rivers) in China. The fish community composition detected by eDNA metabarcoding was consistent with that detected by the conventional method. Besides, metabarcoding has the advantage of detecting the presence of rare species with relatively low abundances. The non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that there was no significant difference in fish community composition between the mainstream and the Heishui river, while there was large difference in the fish community composition between the mainstream and other tributaries. The effectiveness of using the Heishui river as alternative fish habitat was verified by comparing the changes in fish communities before and after the impoundment of the mainstream. Taken together, this study indicates that eDNA metabarcoding is a viable method to identify the suitable tributaries which at least partly compensate for fish habitat loss in the dammed mainstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish community structure could be directly and indirectly affected by biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors. Although fish community suffered less disturbance than big rivers, moderate disturbance could also change fish community structure in mountain rivers due to environmental variables such as current velocity, water depth, water temperature, dissolved oxygen and acidity. However, there are limited information about changes in fish composition in mountain river where less human disturbance. So the objective of this study was to elucidate fish diversity and community assembly patterns and identify relationships between environmental parameters and fish community structures. This survey was conducted seasonally at 16 locations in five rivers in Pingxiang city from June 2019 to May 2020. A total of 56 species were collected, and 16 fish species were endemic to China. The index of relative importance showed that Rhodeus ocellatus was the most dominant species in these rivers. The fish species showed low abundance and diversity in Pingxiang city. Cluster and non‐metric multidimensional sequencing analyses showed clear spatial segregation, which divided the 16 sample sites into four significantly different groups. Permutational analysis of variance showed a significant difference in fish composition among the sites (p =.002). Furthermore, similarity percentages analysis showed that 15 fish species contributed to the greatest extent, and 13 fish species were divergent among the groups. The redundancy analysis revealed that water depth, pH and water temperature were the predominant factors contributing to the variation in fish composition. Thus, these results could guide the restoration and spatial management of fish resources as well as provide theories for the formulation of relevant conservation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the impact of data uncertainty on the results of fish-index of biological integrity(F-IBI), a F-IBI was constructed based on the historical information and ecosystem characteristics of the surrounding waters of Chongming Island, China. A total of 12 indices related to fish species composition, trophic structure, tolerance, reproductive character, heath conditions and biomass were included in this F-IBI. Fish community information in waters near Chongming Island were collected from surveys in August and November 2020. The F-IBI was used to evaluate the state of ecosystem health of study area. Besides, the effects of survey data uncertainty on the projection of F-IBI for the surrounding waters of Chongming Island were evaluated by computer simulation. Five indices (total number of fish species, percentage of number of pollution sensitive fishes, percentage of number of piscivorous species, percentage of number of adhesive egg fishes and catch per haul per hour) from 12 indices were selected as simulation indices. The effect of single index uncertainty, multiple indices uncertainty and different levels of uncertainty on the final estimation result of F-IBI were evaluated. Results indicated that the F-IBI was in the "poor" grade of the surrounding waters of Chongming Island in August and November 2020. Uncertainty analysis showed that a set of 30% at the coefficient of variance of indices did not affect the evaluation grade of F-IBI, but the score changed to a certain extent.With the increase of index uncertainty, the fluctuation range of the evaluation results of F-IBI increased gradually. The influence strength of each index was related with the position of survey data in the range in the scoring section of F-IBI system. The results of this study emphasize the importance of considering the natural fluctuation range of the evaluation index in the evaluation of F-IBI in waters near Chongming Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the spatial patterns of fish diversity is essential for the conservation and management of stream fishes. Many studies highlight the need to comprehensively consider diversity rather than a unique index to enact conservation strategies. However, understanding spatial patterns along environmental gradients and the correlation of multifaceted diversity in stream fish communities remains limited. Thus, we surveyed fishes along an upstream–downstream gradient in the Qiupu River, an important tributary of the Yangtze River, China. We aimed to explore the spatial variation and congruence of the multifaceted diversity of fish communities, as measured by taxonomic (TR), functional (FR), and phylogenetic (PR) richness, along the longitudinal gradient. Both TR and PR had a positive linear relationship with distance from the headwaters, although this trend was not significant for FR due to functional trait redundancy. There was high spatial congruence between TR and PR but relatively low-congruence between TR and FR. Spatial autocorrelation patterns were identified for TR and FR, but not for PR. Our results suggest that along the continuum, each diversity metric reflected different spatial patterns, and the results support the importance of using multiple facets of diversity in assessing community structure and developing conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The mangrove ecosystem is an important resource for the survival of thousands of species of animals and plants. It has high ecological and economic value and has made great contributions to the protection and maintenance of marine and terrestrial ecological environment. However, due to climatic and human factors, the mangrove ecosystem has been destroyed and its ecological functions have been damaged. As an important indicator species, fishes have also been affected, with changes in their population and nutritional structure. This study summarized the mangrove fish in China and compiled a relatively complete list of mangrove fish. In addition, the biogeographic characteristics of Chinese mangrove fish were analyzed, filling the gap of national mangrove fish distribution data. Completion of this study contributed to a better understanding of the role of mangroves in maintaining the stability and diversity of fish communities, which was of great value for the management and conservation of regional and global biodiversity. Mangroves are among the most productive marine and coastal ecosystems and play an important role in maintaining the stability and diversity of fish communities. To explore the structure of mangrove fish communities in China, we compiled previous studies, monographs, and two databases on 54 mangrove areas published in the past 30 years. Mangrove fish communities in China comprised Osteichthys (597 species) and Chondrichthyes (14 species), representing 611 species in 344 genera, 117 families, and 28 orders. Perciformes were the predominant taxon, with 350 species in 52 families, accounting for 57% of the total species richness. Reef fish accounted for 29.62%. With regard to feeding groups, there were 328 carnivorous species (53.68%), 214 omnivorous species (35.02%), 41 herbivorous species (6.71%), and 28 detritivores species (4.58%). Classified by body size, 57.61% were small-sized, 24.22% medium-sized, and 18.17% were large-sized fishes. A total of 5.23% (32 species) of these mangrove fish are currently on IUCN red lists, i.e., 2 species are critically endangered, 4 are endangered, 12 are vulnerable, and 14 are near threatened. Cluster analyses shows that Chinese mangroves fish were divided into two categories, i.e., coastal mangrove and island mangrove type. This is closely related to the distribution of reef fish. Moreover, the number of fish species showed a strong positive correlation with mangrove area, but not with latitude. The main reasons may be the subtropical and tropical geographic locations, as well as the characteristics of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Warm Current. The size and integrity of mangrove area are crucial to the local ecosystems; thus, protecting and restoring mangroves is of great significance to large-scale ecosystem-stability and local biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: From 2019 to 2020, 28 species of fish were collected from the upper reaches of the Jinsha River. The dominant species of fish were Triplophysa stenura, Schizothorax wangchiachii, and Schizopygopsis malacanthus. Fish diversity was at a deficient level, and flow velocity, altitude, and dissolved oxygen were the main influencing factors causing the differences in fish community structure in the upper Jinsha River. The abundance/biomass curve showed that the fish community in the upper Jinsha River was moderately or seriously disturbed. The standardized biomass size spectrum of fish showed that the degree of disturbance of fish in tributaries was much lower than that in the main stream. Compared with the historical data, the structure of the fish community in the Jinsha River changed significantly, with more exotic species and smaller individual fish. It is suggested that habitat conservation strategies be adopted in the upper tributaries of the Jinsha River to provide a reference for the restoration of fishery resources and the conservation of fish diversity in the Yangtze River. To understand the characteristics of the fish community structure and biomass particle-size spectrum in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, fish and environmental surveys were conducted in 21 segments of the upper reaches of the Jinsha River in September 2019 and June 2020. A total of 4062 fish belonging to 2 orders, 5 families, 18 genera, and 28 species were collected. Among them, Cyprinidae fish were the most abundant (14 species), accounting for 50.00%. The Shannon index and Pielou evenness index values varied from 0.402–1.770 and 0.254–0.680, respectively. The dominant species of fish were Triplophysa stenura, Schizothorax wangchiachii, and Schizopygopsis malacanthus. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to analyse the relationship between the fish community and environmental factors. Velocity, altitude, and dissolved oxygen were the main influencing factors of fish community structure differences in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River. The abundance/biomass curves showed that the fish communities in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River were moderately or severely disturbed. The standardized biomass particle-size spectrum of fish showed that the degree of disturbance of fish in tributaries was much lower than that in the main stream. Compared with the historical data, the fish community structure in the Jinsha River has changed significantly, with the number of exotic species increasing, and the individual fish showing miniaturization and younger ages. It is suggested that habitat conservation strategies be adopted in the upper tributaries of the Jinsha River to provide a reference for the restoration of fishery resources and the conservation of fish diversity in the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How fishermen produce and live has been a hot topic of academic concern in recent years. However, existing research has focused excessively on marine fishermen. Inland fisheries make a significant but often overlooked contribution to rural livelihoods in developing countries. In this paper, we constructed a framework for fishermen's livelihood strategies and used questionnaires and in-depth interviews to study 275 households of inland fishermen in a professional fishing village at Poyang Lake. The results show that (1) the impact of the comprehensive fishing ban has led to significant changes in the livelihood capital of inland fishermen, leading to fishermen being forced to change their livelihood strategies. (2) The current livelihood strategies can be divided into four categories, which are non-fishing employment, self-employment, public welfare positions and retirement respectively. (3) Livelihood capital such as age, education, social interaction and fishing rights influence their choice of livelihood strategies. (4) The fishing ban proposal generally meets the interests of fishermen, but there is some capacity for improvement in terms of implementation details and policy flexibility. Based on these findings, we recommend that the government conducts further in-depth research and adjusts and improves its policy options in good time. To the satisfaction of all parties, the current policy protects the environment and achieves sustainable human development, making Chinese contributions and proposing Chinese plans to address global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although environmental filtering and spatial structuring are commonly regarded as two key factors shaping community dynamics, their relative contribution remains unknown for numerous aquatic ecosystems, particularly highly dynamic floodplain lakes. This issue is here addressed by examining the seasonal metacommunity dynamics of freshwater fishes in Lake Dongting, a large subtropical lake of the middle Chang-Jiang basin in southern China. Physicochemical variables and fish assemblages were recorded at 20 sampling sites during the wet, normal, and dry seasons. Distance-based redundancy analysis and associated variation partitioning were used to examine the relative role of environmental variables and spatial factors in fish community assembly in each season. Analysis results demonstrated that the relative contribution of environmental filtering and spatial structuring varied depending on environmental features and the extent of hydrological connectivity in different seasons. Intensified physicochemical parameters in the dry season convinced the enhanced environmental filtering, whereas high hydrological connectivity in the wet season favored the stronger spatial process. Specifically, the community assembly processes were temporally dynamic; spatial structuring (or mass effects), resulting from excessively high dispersal rates, was dominant during the flooding season, and environmental filtering was stronger than spatial structuring (or dispersal limitation) during the non-flooding season. These findings highlight the importance of conserving local habitats of Lake Dongting during the dry and normal seasons, and maintaining of the flood pulse of the lake and its natural variability during the wet season. Apparently, the construction of a water-level regulation project at the Chenglingji Channel, the outlet watercourse of Lake Dongting, is not supported because it will change the flood pulse of this lake and thus impact habitat heterogeneity or variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to climate change and anthropogenic stressors, the abundance and diversity of reef fishes have globally decreased. However, we know little about the long-term change in reef fishes in the South China Sea (SCS). To reveal the response of reef fishes to these threats in the SCS, based on the fish specimens at Yongshu Reef lagoon collected in 1999 and 2016–2019, this study investigated variations in fish composition and community structure. Additionally, we inferred the changes in the coral cover of Yongshu Reef based on the change of the coral cover of near Meiji Reef in the SCS, sea surface temperature (SST) in Yongshu Reef, and total annual catch of Epinephelinae from China in the SCS. We found that compared with 1999, the number of dominant species in 2016–2019 decreased. The relative dominance of the first dominant species increased from 24.46 in 1999 to 39.44 in 2016–2019. Indices of catch per unit effort, species diversity and richness declined from 1999 to 2016–2019. Community pattern changed with some species with a higher trophic level (3.7–4.5) decreased, while those with lower trophic level (2.2–4.1) increased greatly. Some species with high economic value and important ecological functions decreased or disappeared locally. Correlation analysis indicated that declining coral cover, increasing fishing and rising SST were clearly associated with changes in fish community structure at Yongshu Reef. We speculated that declining coral cover and increasing fishing had a direct impact on the degradation of fish communities at Yongshu Reef lagoon, but increasing SST had an indirect impact on that. To conserve coral reef fish, it is recommended to take rigorous measures for improving habitat and protecting resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased territorial conflicts in the center of the maritime South and East China Seas have ramifications for Asian regional stability. The area is resource-rich, strategically placed along waterways, and has indisputable oil and natural gas reserves. There had also been a perceived change in the international system built by the United States during World War II, with China attempting to replace it as the regional power. China's behavior toward the remaining claimants, as well as to some extent toward other foreign parties in the conflicts, is examined using ideas from International Relations and case studies from International Law. Employing a qualitative research design, the author attempted to analyze the territorial dispute in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. This paper explains how the islands are strategically located near commercial fishing grounds, major shipping channels, and undiscovered oil and gas potential and how the issue is linked to China's preservation of national sovereignty, while the remaining claimant states perceive it as an incursion by the approaching menace of China. Whoever gains control of the islands eventually gains control of a major portion of East China and South China Seas' economic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beibu Gulf in the northwestern South China Sea is one of the world's most productive fishing grounds, yet its biotic resources appear to be in rapid decline because of overexploitation. Assessments of the health status of the fisheries' resources in the gulf provide a foundation for their conservation and management. As fish accounted for 84% to 97% of the total catch in the Beibu Gulf in the period 1962–2017, a Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (F-IBI) was developed for the Beibu Gulf, and data from otter trawl surveys during the period 1962–2017 were used to measure variations in the fish community. The assessment revealed a generally downward trend in total fish catch density (kg/km2), catch density of 12 traditional commercial demersal fish species, and percentage of nektonic-feeding species, but an upward trend for the percentage of fishes with a planktivorous or detritus diet, percentage of pelagic species, and percentage of the dominant species. The dominant species varied greatly over the 50 year period and showed a tendency towards small-sized species. The synthetic F-IBI variable showed a downward trend and has indicated a 'fair' state since 1998. The decline in the F-IBI over the last three decades suggests that anthropogenic disturbances, especially overfishing, have had a serious impact on the fish community of the Beibu Gulf. The F-IBI is currently at risk of becoming 'poor.' Consequently, we suggest that rigid and enforceable fishery management measures should be taken by both China and Vietnam to prevent further deterioration of the fisheries' resources in the gulf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plateau river ecosystems are often highly vulnerable and responsive to environmental change. The driving mechanism of fish diversity and community assembly in plateau rivers under changing environments presents a significant complexity to the interdisciplinary study of ecology and environment. This study integrated molecular biological techniques and mathematical models to identify the mechanisms influencing spatial heterogeneity of freshwater fish diversity and driving fish community assembly in plateau rivers. By utilizing environmental-DNA metabarcoding and the null model, this study revealed the impact of the stochastic process on fish diversity variations and community assembly in the Huangshui Plateau River of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China. This research identified 30 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which correspond to 20 different fish species. The findings of this study revealed that the fish α-diversity in the upstream region of Xining is significantly higher than in the middle-lower reach (Shannon index: P = 0.017 and Simpson: P = 0.035). This pattern was not found to be related to any other environmental factors besides altitude (P = 0.023) that we measured. Further, the study indicated that the assembly of fish communities in the Huangshui River primarily depends on stochastic ecological processes. These findings suggested that elevation was not the primary factor impacting the biodiversity patterns of fish in plateau rivers. In plateau rivers, spatial heterogeneity of fish community on elevation is mainly determined by stochastic processes under habitat fragmentation, rather than any other physicochemical environmental factors. The limitations of connectivity in the downstream channel of the river could be taken the mainly responsibility for stochastic processes of fish community in Huangshui River. Incorporating ecological processes in the eDNA approach holds great potential for future monitoring and evaluation of fish biodiversity and community assembly in plateau rivers. [Display omitted] Stochastic process determines the assembly of freshwater fish community on the plateau river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main reasons for the decline in global freshwater biodiversity can be attributed to alterations in hydrological conditions resulting from dam construction. However, the majority of current research has focused on single or limited numbers of dams. Here, we carried out a seasonal fish survey, using environmental DNA (eDNA) method, on the Wujiang River mainstream (Tributaries of the Yangtze River, China) to investigate the impact of large-scale cascade hydropower development on changes in fish diversity patterns. eDNA survey revealed that native fish species have decreased in contrast to alien fish. There was also a shift in fish community structure, with declines of the dominant rheophilic fish species, an increase of the small-size fish species, and homogenization of species composition across reservoirs. Additionally, environmental factors, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen and reservoir age, had a significant effect on fish community diversity. This study provides basic information for the evaluation of the impact of cascade developments on fish diversity patterns. • The homogenization of the Wujiang River is obvious. • Multiple environmental factors significantly affect fish communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The roles of different functional traits and diversity indicators were compared. • Dominant traits rather than diversity drive the changes in community productivity. • The trait of locomotion and the diversity of feeding modes are crucial. • The mass ratio hypothesis was supported in the marine fish community. The biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationship is a critical topic in ecological research, as it guides the maintenance of ecosystem functioning in the face of climate change and human disturbance. However, the BEF relationship is complicated by the fact that biodiversity has multiple dimensions, and in particular functional diversity may be strongly correlated with community productivity. But the understanding is still lacking about how different functional traits determine community productivity. The present study tested the relationship between biodiversity and community productivity empirically in a demersal fish community, based on continuous bottom trawl surveys in Haizhou Bay, China from 2013 to 2022. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with composite variables was used to evaluate the relationships among environmental factors, species diversity (SD), functional diversity (FD), community weighted mean traits (CWM), and community productivity (CP), and the roles of different aspects of functional traits were further compared. The results showed that there were considerable heterogeneities in the temporal and spatial distributions of CP , and PCA revealed that the CP was weakly correlated with both species and functional diversity. SEM showed that CWM had the greatest influences on CP (r = 0.63), followed by SD (r = 0.52), and FD had the least impact (r = -0.42). This finding supported the mass ratio hypothesis, indicating that functional traits of dominant species determined community productivity. Environmental factors showed no direct impacts on CP but had indirect effects through biodiversity. Regarding the role of different functional traits, the trait of locomotion was the most important driver of CP in terms of CWM , while the food acquisition was more important than other components in terms of FD. Our study can contribute to an improved comprehension of the BEF linkages in marine fish communities, and serve as a guideline for fisheries management and biodiversity protection in the face of climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed fisheries capture multiple species simultaneously, posing significant challenges to fisheries assessment and management, and leading to systematic risk of overfishing. While the Multi-Species Total Allowable Catch (MSTAC) approach provides a feasible tool for managing mixed fisheries, there remains a lack of clarity on how to design effective management units within MSTAC. To achieve robust and conservative management, we designed and evaluated different schemes of MSTAC based on the species portfolio effect that is crucial for multispecies productivity. We considered four ecological traits to construct the MSTAC schemes, including habitat preference, feeding mode, body size and thermophily. We simulated the population dynamics of mixed fisheries and the biotic and technical interactions within the fish community using a dynamic multispecies size-spectrum model (MSSM) developed for the North Yellow Sea, China. We assessed the effects of these schemes in terms of fishery yield, stock biomass, potential productivity, and risk of depletion. Our evaluation suggests that appropriate portfolio-based schemes could enhance sustainability better than maintaining current yield through Single-Species TAC (SSTAC), which might result in rapid productivity losses and a higher risk of depletion. All the candidate schemes exhibit necessary trade-off between fisheries yields and depletion risks of the fish community. Notably, the size-based scheme provides significant benefits in buffering against depletion risks while conserving the potential productivity of the holistic fish community, followed by the habitat-based scheme. We highlight that the emergent portfolio effects from the aggregated MSTAC can enhance sustainability in mixed fisheries management and potentially serve as "insurance" against climate variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of mixed fisheries is complicated by the biological and technical interactions among fish species. We tested a multispecies total allowable catch approach to managing mixed fisheries while accounting for the interactions and changes within fish community. A multispecies size–spectrum model was developed to simulate the dynamic of fish community in North Yellow Sea, China. Three scenarios were evaluated: (1) business-as-usual (BAU); (2) Single-species TAC (SSTAC); and (3) Multispecies TAC (MSTAC, assigning an aggregated total TAC to a selected group of species). Our results showed that BAU reduced biomass of target species to a substantially low level, SSTAC led to loss of fishing opportunity by involving "choke species" with discard ban, while MSTAC had a potential for maintaining long-term yields and community structure. We demonstrated the ecological effects of varying levels of MSTACs on the target and non-target species. Species' responses to MSTAC were stronger when the species had similar feeding and habitat traits to the target species, implying intense competition. Particularly, a 20% decrease in MSTAC could cause an average 17% decline in the biomass of other species through biological interactions in the long-term. MSTAC could be a promising approach to achieving long-term sustainability in data deficient fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Untangling relationships between landscape patterns shaped by human stressors and related response of fish communities is important for identifying biodiversity patterns and conservation targets, yet in large rivers this knowledge is extremely limited. Objectives: Our study focuses on how human stressors within a riparian landscape zone, including both riparian land use and in-channel stressors, explained the fish community structure in a large river. Methods: We studied fish community patterns along the upstream-downstream gradient of the Yangtze River, China. The curve estimation was used to test correlations between fish metrics and the distance from the estuary. We linked human stressors to fish metrics by multivariate generalized linear models. Results: We collected a total of 63 freshwater fish species from 6,147 specimens. Limnophilic species had the highest richness, represented by 30 specie. The predominant riparian land uses in the studied reaches were cropland (65.3% ± 13.1%) and urban land (19.7% ± 13.6%). There were strong negative correlations between riparian land use (e.g., urban land) and in-channel stressors (e.g., shoreline modification, navigation, and fishing pressure) and fish assemblages, especially limnophilic fish abundance, biomass, and richness. Conclusions: These results demonstrate influences of both riparian land use and in-channel stressors on fish communities, and highlight the use of landscape descriptors as a valuable approach to assess linkages between human pressures and fish diversity in large river systems. Management recommendations include: establishing or rehabilitating riparian buffers, improving commercial navigation management, implementing shoreline protection measures, and reinforcing fishing laws and regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of urbanization, large-scale population movement, and disintegration of the traditional communities, the disaster-related social vulnerability in China's coastal areas is presenting new features. Many researchers point out that interacting persistent urban growth and hazard risk accumulation have ratcheted up negative impacts on immigrants, but nevertheless there is less consideration based on what really happens in the focal coastal urbanizing areas from the bottom-up perspective. This paper is devoted to studying a Chinese fishing village to provide a perspective of what factors shape the vulnerability of new-coming immigrants in urbanizing process through an in-depth case study. Based on the original qualitative data, the analysis of spatial, social and political aspects was involved. It concludes that compared with the locals who remained predominant, the immigrants suffer from the social, environmental and institutional pressures which produce or even reproduce the plights of livelihood and status. The results of this study provide policy recommendations for decision-makers to reduce inequality for immigrants and enhance cohesion of society to cope with hazard risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subtropical rivers are one of the hotspots of global biodiversity, facing increased risks of fish diversity changes and species extinction. However, until now, human impacts on native and non-native fish communities in subtropical rivers still lack sufficient effort. Here, we used the environmental DNA (eDNA) approach to investigate fish communities in the Dongjiang River of southeast China, a typical subtropical river, and explored the effects of regional land use and local water pollution on fish taxonomic and functional diversity. Our data showed that 90 species or genera of native fish and 15 species or genera of non-native fish were detected by the eDNA approach, and there was over 85% overlap between eDNA datasets and historical records. The taxonomic and functional diversity of all, native and non-native fish communities showed consistent spatial patterns, that is, the upstream of the tributary was significantly higher than that of the mainstream and downstream. Land use and water pollution such as COD and TP were the determinants in shaping the spatial structure of fish communities, and water pollution explained 31.56%, 29.88%, and 27.80% of the structural variation in all, native and non-native fish communities, respectively. The Shannon diversity and functional richness of native fish showed a significant downward trend driven by COD (p Shannon = 0.0374; p functional = 0.0215) and land use (p Shannon = 0.0159; p functional = 0.0441), but they did not have significant impacts on non-native fish communities. Overall, this study emphasizes the inconsistent response of native and non-native fish communities to human impacts in subtropical rivers, and managers need to develop strategies tailored to specific fish species to effectively protect water security and rivers. [Display omitted] • Our data show over 85% overlap between eDNA datasets and historical records. • The taxonomic and functional diversity of fish communities exhibits similar spatial patterns. • The inconsistent responses of native and non-native fish to human impacts are observed. • Water pollution significantly affects the structure of native fish rather than non-native fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under climate change and anthropogenic activities, the homogenization of fish communities shows spatial and temporal shifts and threatens biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but little effort has been made to assess the seasonal shift of spatial homogenization in marine demersal fish, which hinders effective management. In the present study, we investigated the spatial patterns of demersal fish communities and their seasonal changes in the shelf sea of Shandong Peninsula in northeast China based on the four seasonal surveys. Our findings showed that both season and region were important factors in the distributions of biodiversity and the community structure of demersal fish. Spatial homogenization of taxonomic structure and functional structure exhibited inconsistent changes with season. Compared with taxonomic structure, functional structure exhibited relatively lower spatial homogenization in all seasons. Our results suggest that the density of survey stations for demersal fish resource investigation in the study area should be conducted in at least four regions and considering seasonality. This study highlights a need to understand spatial homogenization and its seasonal changes in demersal fish in both taxonomic and functional approaches, which could give insight into biodiversity and resource state and be conducive to improving the efficiency of resource investigation and management. • This paper investigated spatial homogenization of fish communities in the shelf sea of Shandong Peninsula. • A trait-based approach was used to measure functional structure of fish community. • Spatial homogenization of taxonomic and functional structures have different seasonal patterns. • The findings provide reference in optimization of survey station and determination of protected area scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population decline among Asian horseshoe crabs in Asia is increasingly reported, but knowledge of their population and ecological status in China is limited. We conducted community interviews in 30 fishing villages around Beibu Gulf in Guangxi, China, to collect distribution information about the potential spawning/nursery grounds of Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda , and any imminent threats to their populations. Based on the results from 400 respondents we identified 45 potential spawning/nursery grounds distributed widely along the shores of Beibu Gulf. We visited 10 of these sites and verified the presence of juvenile horseshoe crabs by field surveys. Nearly all respondents reported an overall depletion in horseshoe crab populations from these 45 sites, which they attributed mainly to unsustainable fishing practices. Respondents who reported having seen horseshoe crab mating pairs on shores were mostly older people, which may suggest a considerable reduction in horseshoe crabs coming to the shores to spawn in recent years. The mean daily harvest of adult T. tridentatus offshore, as indicated by fishers, has declined from c. 50–1,000 in the 1990s to 0–30 individuals during 2011–2016. Our Wisdom of Crowds approach, supported by confirmatory field surveys, is a cost-effective method for assessing the population status of horseshoe crabs, and the level of threat they face. Similar approaches with other species are likely to be particularly valuable in the Asia–Pacific region, where well-structured population monitoring is largely unaffordable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishing is considered as one of the primary sources of acquiring food since time immemorial. In general, Aquaculture is a production technology with its origins in Egypt and China which dates back to thousands of years. However, a significant change at global level took place as better control over the production process enabled a number of new technologies and production practices to develop since 1970s. Small-Scale fisheries currently face critical changes, socio economic development, and vulnerability to natural and human disturbance. The paper focuses on the small scale geographically based, single occupation fishing communities of district Larkana. The study was conducted over a period of two months field world through Descriptive research methodology. Due to lack of availability of sampling frame, nonprobability-Purposive sampling was used. The method for data collection was in-depth interviews. One of the major reasons behind occupational abandoning amongst fishermen, is lack of Understanding the interdependency between these subsystems, particularly with regard to the socially implication on fishing communities has remained largely ignored. Apart from these, several other sources of pollution such as efflux of municipal wastes and burning effluent are also affecting the river condition exerting a synergistic effect on the process of ecological degradation. The results reflect that the social vulnerability of the fishing community to these pressures potentially diminishes the livelihoods, food security wellbeing and traditional lifestyles of coastal communities and cultures. Small scale fishing communities undergo a constant change, and they adapt with the environmental changes alongside; one of the major implicational is occupational shift. Thus, the findings of the study could be used as a dynamic contribution in devising the policy and suitable action plan of action to combat the impacts of climate change by minimizing the vulnerability of the natural ecology and the fishing community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater ecosystems face serious degeneration risks from anthropogenic activities, among which land use heterogeneity transformation is one of the main threats on aquatic biodiversity. However, the mechanisms by which land use heterogeneity affects fish community structure in aquatic ecosystems are still difficult to determine. The results of this study showed that we detected a total of 164 fish species during two seasons, with 97 fish species belonging to 15 orders, 31 families and 74 genera in dry season and 138 fish species belonging to 14 orders, 40 families and 98 genera in wet season. The intergroup differences between the upstream, midstream and downstream of the basin in dry season were smaller than those in wet season, and the species richness in wet season were higher than this in dry season. The values of β-diversity between the upstream and midstream regions was greater than downstream in dry season. The value of β-diversity between upstream and downstream regions was larger than in the midstream in wet season. It concluded that the β-diversity values were generally smaller in wet season than in dry season. Land use types on both sides of the Han River basin are mostly cropland, forest land and man-made surfaces. The results of calculating LUI and fish life history characteristics showed a greater correlation between K and M values in the dry water period and a greater correlation between PD50 and longevity in the rich water period. Moreover, we calculated the correlation between the land use index (LUI) and β-diversity NMDS values, respectively, showed a significant positive correlationship (0.712 in dry season; 0.742 in wet season). This research (a) obtained the spatial and temporal distribution of α-diversity and β-diversity data of fish in the whole basin using eDNA technology; (b) analyzed the relationship of land use heterogeneity on fish life history characteristics; and (c) revealed the correlation between land use index and β-diversity communities. Overall, this study can provide data support and theoretical basis for integrated watershed ecosystem management, and provide suggestions for environmental protection and management around the watershed. • obtained the spatial and temporal distribution of fish diversity data based on eDNA technology for the whole basin. • analyzed the relationship of land use heterogeneity on fish life history characteristics. • revealed the correlation between land use index and diversity communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding community assembly has long attracted the attention of ecologists. There are a lot of studies on how community assembly mechanisms work through phylogenetic analysis. Nevertheless, phylogenetic structures have generally been assumed to be stable over time in most studies, and little attention has been paid to seasonal shifts in phylogenetic structure, which is important to mobile animals. In this study, phylogenetic distance was measured as the mean pairwise distance (MPD) and as mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD). The phylogenetic structures of fish communities in different regions, subregions and at sampling stations were examined using the standardized effect sizes of MPD and MNTD (SES.MPD and SES.MNTD) under null model independent swap over four seasons in the coastal waters of Shandong Province, China. Generalized additive model (GAM) was used to detect which environmental factors have an important impact on phylogenetic structure indices at each sampling station. The fish communities were phylogenetically clustered in most seasons in the whole survey waters, indicating environmental filtering tended to shape the whole fish assemblage. Two phylogenetic indices indicated that the phylogenetic structure (phylogenetic over-dispersion or phylogenetic clustering) was inconsistent on the different regions and subregions. For fish assemblages at each sampling station, the phylogenetic structure of fish communities presented patchy distribution patterns in different seasons. GAM analysis showed that phylogenetic structure responded differently to different environmental factors over four seasons, and the change in phylogenetic structure indices was significantly associated with environmental factors, especially in autumn and winter. SES.MPD can better respond to environmental changes than SES.MNTD. Spatial factors (longitude and latitude) were important factors influencing fish community assembly, indicating that fish communities at offshore stations with low latitude exhibit a relatively high degree of phylogenetic overdispersion. It was difficult to draw consistent conclusions about seasonal changes in phylogenetic structure of fish communities on different temporal and spatial scales. It is possible that seasonal variations and spatial scales in assembly mechanisms contribute to maintaining marine fish diversity in temperate waters, resulting in different phylogenetic structures in fish community. • Seasonal variation and spatial scale have important effects on fish community assembly. • Longitude and latitude are important factors influencing the spatial distribution of phylogenetic structure indices. • SES.MPD can better respond to environmental changes than SES.MNTD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When marginal groups face social transformation, they risk being unable to adapt and acquire equal developmental opportunities, slipping into 'further marginalisation'. This paper explores the case of the Dan fishing community of Sanya City, Hainan, China. Efforts to transform Sanya City into an international island tourism destination involve plans to relocate Sanya fishing port and to clear the adjacent neighbourhood inhabited by the Dan people, traditionally a boat-dwelling people, who have long been marginalised relative to China's land-oriented society. As their natural and social resources dwindle, the Dan of Sanya City must cope with the loss of their homes and livelihoods, as they are forced into the city's suburbs and as the port relocation complicates the economics and practicalities of making a living from the fishing industry. This paper argues for greater attention to be given to local needs in the formulation of urban development strategies in island cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • eDNA metabarcoding was gradually applied to investigating estuarine fish diversity. • 156 fish taxa were detected by eDNA metabarcoding and gillnetting. • Significant/highly significant seasonal differences were found for both methods. • More species obtained by eDNA than gillnetting, with significant differences. Non-destructive and cost-effective fish diversity monitoring approaches are needed for the management and protection of estuarine ecosystems. Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology is a promising, environmentally friendly technology that has been applied in fish diversity studies in estuarine ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the seasonal composition, diversity, and structure of fish community in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) using eDNA technology and gillnetting. We identified 156 fish in the PRE, including 26 orders, 58 families, 93 genera, and 115 species according to eDNA technology. And eDNA technology provided more taxonomic composition information in the PRE than did gillnetting. Significant or highly significant seasonal differences in fish community composition and structure were detected between the wet and dry seasons. Fifteen and eight genus-level indicator taxa differed significantly between the two seasons according to eDNA technology and gillnetting, respectively. However, the significant differences detected in this study suggest that some taxa did not overlap between the two approaches. Therefore, fish diversity monitoring in the PRE should include a combination of eDNA technology and gillnetting for comprehensive fish community data analysis. Our findings have important implications for fish community monitoring and estuarine ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two site-groups were classified, corresponding to upstream-tributaries and mid-downstream. • Altitude and the proportion of substrate composition were major environmental variables influencing the spatial patterns of fish assemblages. • Compared with natural riverine conditions, reservoirs and dams seemed to affect fish communities to a small extent. • To protect the fish diversity of Anning River, construction of hydropower stations and sand extraction activities should be managed. In order to explore the spatial layout of fish assemblages and their related environmental factors, a survey of species composition was conducted in the Anning River. From 2018 to 2021, 28 sites at 987–2,077 m in altitude were surveyed, gathering 64 species in total, of which 60 were native and 4 were exotic. Fifteen of the species sampled were indigenous to the upper Yangtze River, and two were classified as critically endangered or endangered. Fish communities displayed significant upstream-to-downstream variation. There are two site-groups, one covering upstream and tributaries and the other covering midstream and downstream. The upstream-tributary fish assemblages had a dominance of Nemacheilidae and Schizothoracinae, which are plateau species with habitat preferences for boulders and fast-flowing water. Conversely, the mid-downstream fish assemblages had a dominance of Gobioninae, Cyprininae, Bagridae and Siluridae, which are common river species that prefer slow-flowing water. The spatial patterns of these fish communities were chiefly affected by altitude and substratum composition. The fish assemblage pattern was consistent with the zonation concept because the fish communities changed abruptly and clearly along the upstream–downstream axis. The findings of this study offer a crucial research foundation for comprehending the fish assemblages of mountainous rivers, which will be conducive to biodiversity management and habitat preservation of aquatic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-dimensional functional space was built to visualize the functional structure. • The functional structure and trait composition of fish in the PRE vary seasonally. • The CWM traits were mainly affected by temperature, DO, chlorophyll-a, and depth. Estuaries are one of the most important ecosystems with high biological productivity. They connect freshwater and marine ecosystems, and the fish community assemblages face intense environmental changes, so estuarine fish communities have unique ecological characteristics. With the increase of human activities and the discharge of pollutants, the pressure on the ecosystem of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) is intensifying, and its ecosystem functions and services are inevitably affected. To better understand the functional structure of the fish community in the PRE and its response to environmental changes, we analyzed the trait composition of the community and its relationships to environmental factors based on 10 functional traits of 130 fish species collected in the PRE during the summer and winter of 2020–2021. In addition, we built a multi-dimensional functional space to visualize the overall functional structure of the PRE and explore the seasonal variation of the selected traits in the functional space. Our findings suggest that the functional traits of the fish communities in the PRE were mainly affected by temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and depth. Among them, the effects of dissolved oxygen, temperature, and chlorophyll-a on CWM traits were reflected in seasonal differences, while the effects of depth were reflected in spatial differences. We also found the main trait categories that occupied the most functional space and contributed the most to the seasonal differences in functional space. The results of this study are significant for understanding the seasonal variation of the functional structure in the PRE and how environmental gradients drive the functional traits of fish communities, and also provide insights for effective ecosystem-based management in the PRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater biodiversity is under pressure from the detrimental effects of climate change, habitat degradation, biological invasion, and overfishing. Environmental DNA (eDNA) obtained directly from environmental samples can be used to evaluate the distribution of aquatic species. We developed a new set of universal PCR primers (16 S 200) for eDNA metabarcoding from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Using the new 16 S 200 primers, we detected the presence of 27 fish species distributed across four families in Lake Gehu, in southeastern China. eDNA metabarcoding and live capture methods identified 16 species in common; however, the two methods identified nine and 12 unique species, respectively. Data from eDNA metabarcoding were more consistent with results from gill net capture methods than from ground cage capture. The present study supports the effectiveness of eDNA for rapidly assessing the species composition of fish communities.This is the first attempt to designed new sets of primers for eDNA-based metabarcoding analysis of freshwater fish in China. Despite pitfalls and limitations, eDNA metabarcoding is a promising approach for assessing fish communities in freshwater lakes. Current applications of eDNA are widespread, but the new technology requires further refinement. The eDNA metabarcoding is an efficient and cost-effective method that can be used in conjunction with traditional survey methods for analyzing fish communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial transformation has been regarded as a significant measure for promoting fishery prosperity, fishing village revitalization and fishermen living conditions, and draws attentions in coastal areas since the turn of the new millennium. Although this relationship has been recognized, it was poorly studied in terms of the impact on fishing village revitalization, especially at the level of fishing villages. In this study, a new composite indicator is proposed to evaluate the impact of industrial transformation on fishing village based on the "Three F″ dimension, namely Fishery, Fishing Village and Fishermen, and their development process, internal logic, driving forces and mechanisms have also been explored. Wangjiataihou Village, located in the most rapid urbanized area, Qingdao West Coast New Area of China, was selected as a case study to empirically investigate the industrial transformation in fishing villages through in-depth interviews and observations. The results show that Wangjiataihou Village has undergone an industrial transformation from primary industry, fishery to tertiary industry, fishing village tourism since 2004. With the evolution and restructuring of socio-economic morphology, significant changes have occurred in the "Three F". On the whole, industrial transformation has boosted the overall revitalization to a certain degree. However, there still exist some problems, such as the loss of attractiveness and competitiveness and the low participation of villagers in decision making. Accordingly, this paper puts forward some suggestions, which aim to optimize industrial development and promote revitalization of fishing village, including accelerating infrastructure construction, enriching the local culture by diversifying tourism products and activities, exploring new driving forces and mechanisms to adapt to the new developing patterns of fishing villages. • A new composite indicator was proposed to evaluate the impact of industrial transformation on fishing village based on the "Three F″ dimension: Fishery, Fishing Village and Fishermen. • Industrial transformation from fishery to fishing village tourism promotes the overall revitalization to a certain degree. • New driving forces and mechanisms were explored to adapt to the new developing patterns in fishing villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we examine the effect of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the level of fish intake in China in comparison with the rest of the world. We also analyse the origin and destination of China’s seafood products in order to understand the main patterns during the last decades. The results show that in the 1961–2011 period the rate of growth of the GDP in China doubled that of other developing regions, while the daily fish intake of China increased fourfold, making China the largest fish consumer in the world. Given the size and scale of China’s role in production, consumption, and global transformation of seafood markets, China is shaping a new era of industrialization in the history of the fishing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishery bycatch is an acute threat endangering survival of coastal delphinids. While mitigation measures aim at restricting fishing activities by spatial, temporal and gear management, these measures undoubtedly decrease fishery production and trigger conservation-livelihood conflicts, particularly in artisanal fisheries associating with 'poverty traps'. This study surveyed spatio-temporal activities of trammel-net fisheries and fishers' education-household livelihood background in a rural fishing village in the northern Beibu Gulf, China to investigate dolphin-fishing interactions and the willingness of fishers to exit fishing and their ability to engage in alternative livelihoods with regard to fishers' household livelihood baselines. Within the survey region, overlap between humpback dolphins and trammel-net fishing was high (at least 43.35%). Spatial closures through MPAs would help reduce 46.9% of trammel-net fishing. While labor force aging and low education levels were observed in fishing, farming and casual labor livelihoods, fishers showed an unwillingness to exit fishing and inability to engage in alternative livelihoods. The suspended MPA plan should be enacted immediately to reduce fishing-gear entanglements. Implementation of a permanent trammel-net ban or 'exit-fishing' policy, however, should address the household livelihood consequences to fishers. Though ecotourism is often recommended to fishers as an alternative livelihood, low education level hinders fishers' ability to engage in dolphin-watching tourism in a sustainable manner. Fishing-gear modification, an ad hoc training program focusing on sustainable ecotourism, motivating and mobilizing local people in MPA monitoring and management, and integration of traditional ecological knowledge into livelihood diversification programs are critical components to deal with the complexity of this issue. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a new framework combining vulnerability and exclusion as two central dimensions of poverty, this article revisits some of the long-standing beliefs about poverty in small-scale fisheries. We argue that the issue of poverty in fish-dependent communities cannot be reduced to a simple correlation between income poverty and fishery dependence. A more thorough analysis is required that must account for the diversity of fishing-related livelihoods and the complexity of causes of poverty, both inside and outside the sector. The article highlights how poverty in fishing communities often relates to a wide range of socio-institutional factors other than income, including landownership, debt, access to health, education and financial capital, and marginalisation from political decision making. The empirical examples used in this article refer to inland capture fisheries from the Volta and Mekong basins but, arguably, the analysis applies to other fisheries (inland and coastal) in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on the Village in the City (VIC) phenomenon in China. It is seen as part of the country's shift from agrarian setting to urbanity. An example of a VIC is a fishing village called Caiwuwei in Shenzhen which was relocated and given a new position. VICs offer cheap lodgings and attract migrants. The local government, the property developer and the end user or the migrant workers are the three urban actors that help in the decision making in land use.

• Seafood is the major source of food and income for the people of Zhoushan Islands. • MeHg concentrations in 69 seafood species were not exceeded the threshold limit. • Fish species had higher MeHg concentrations compared to crustacean and mollusks. • TL and TMF values based on zooplankton and phytoplankton were >3 and >1, respectively. • DIM and HQ values indicated that continuous consumption may lead to health hazards. Seafood is an important exposure route for mercury, especially methyl mercury (MeHg). Therefore, we quantified MeHg concentrations in 69 species of seafood including fish, crustaceans and mollusks collected from Zhoushan Islands, China. MeHg concentrations ranged from <0.0020–0.2098 µg/g and did not exceed the threshold limit of 1 µg/g in all sampled species, However, MeHg concentrations significantly differed among fish species (0.0085–0.2098 mg kg−1), crustaceans (<0.002–0.0221 mg kg−1) and mollusks (<0.002–0.1389 mg kg−1). The trophic magnification factor (TMF) was determined on the basis of the trophic level (TL). The TL values for fish, crustaceans and mollusks were above 3 when the TMF values were >1. The daily dietary intake and hazard quotient for MeHg were calculated to estimate exposure and health risk through seafood consumption by local inhabitants. The calculated HQ was lower than 1, thus indicating that the exposure was below the risk threshold of related chronic diseases. However, higher MeHg concentrations in fish species such as Scoliodon sorrakowah and Auxis thazard are concerning and may pose health risk through continuous consumption by local inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is at the midpoint of its urbanisation—the largest scale in human history. The recent smart city movement is influencing the discourse and practice of China's urbanisation, with numerous cities claiming to build smart cities and/or adopting some forms of smart city strategies and initiatives. A so-called 'latecomer's advantage' is being exploited to advance their pursuit for a smart city status, not only to catch up with overseas counterparts, but to overtake them and become international leaders. This local-level enthusiasm strikes a chord with the central government's strategy of building an 'innovative nation' to drive its economic transformation towards a knowledge economy. This converging central-local interest is creating a 'smart city mania' across the nation, which, however, has not received due attention in the international literature, and thus deserves critical examination and reflection to inform policy debates. To address this gap, this study investigates the state of smart cities in China, based on a case study of Shenzhen, China's fastest-growing, experimental city. Shenzhen grew from a fishing village into an international metropolis in 40 years, and has now won a nickname of 'China's Silicon Valley' or 'China's smartest city'. This study analyses the state of Chinese smart cities and the pursuit for a smart Shenzhen from the perspectives of the smart city as a concept, as an urban development paradigm, and as an urban regime, drawing upon the international smart city literature. It concludes that a technology-centric approach to smart cities in China, as illustrated by the Shenzhen case, have advanced innovation capacity and economic growth through capitalising on a 'latecomer's advantage'. However, this 'latecomer's advantage' may translate into a 'latecomer's disadvantage' for this approach's lack of institutional adaptation, and for its insufficient attention to social and environmental problems covered under the shiny economic boom. This latecomer's disadvantage is likely to impact the long-term sustainability of Chinese cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]