Page 259 - 《水产学报》2026年第04期

4 期 郭弘艺，等：长江口及邻近海域刀鲚的季节性时空分布特征 50 卷

Seasonal spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of Coilia nasus in
the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent waters

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1,3
1*
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GUO Hongyi , ZHANG Xuguang , LIU Shouhai , TANG Wenqiao , LIU Kai 4*
(1. Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution,
Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;
2. Engineering Research Center of Marine Ranching, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;
3. East China Sea Ecological Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 201206, China;
4. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,
Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China)

Abstract: The Yangtze River Estuary, situated at the boundary of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, is a typical large-scale
estuarine system on the western Pacific coast. Coilia nasus (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae) is a representative anadromous species in
this system. Over recent decades, C. nasus has experienced marked population declines driven by overfishing, wetland loss, altered
hydrodynamics, and reduced sediment discharge. A 10-year fishing ban took effect across key Yangtze waters in 2021, yet the
habitat use patterns of different age groups within the estuary remain poorly understood. This study aimed to reveal the spatio-tem-
poral distribution characteristics of age-specific groups of C. nasus in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent waters, and to evalu-
ate the nursery function of the estuarine mouth zone and its environmental drivers. Bottom trawl surveys were conducted during
spring (May), summer (August), and autumn (November) of 2024 and 2025 across 55 fixed stations (121°-124°E, 31°-32°N),
totalling six seasonal cruises. All captured C. nasus were measured for standard length (SL, cm) and assigned to Young-of-the-
year (YOY) (age 0) or non-YOY (age ≥ 1) groups based on overwintering bands on scales. Abundance was standardized as
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numerical density (ind./km ). Density-weighted centres of gravity, inertia ellipses, and the global index of collocation (GIC) were
computed for each year × season × age-group combination. Bottom salinity and temperature were recorded at each station, and
their effects on density were evaluated using Spearman rank correlations and negative binomial generalized linear models. Salinity
fronts were identified within a latitudinal band covering the mouth zone by locating the maximum longitudinal salinity gradient. A
total of 12 025 specimens were collected. Population composition shifted markedly across seasons: non-YOY individuals domin-
ated in spring (78.6%), while YOY prevailed in summer (62.1%) and autumn (74.3%), reflecting the life-history pattern of spring
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spawning migration and subsequent summer–autumn juvenile recruitment. YOY density increased from (335 ± 757) ind./km in
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spring to (1 454 ± 3 027) ind./km in autumn, whereas non-YOY density declined from (1 680 ± 2 753) ind./km in spring to (485 ±
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1 085) ind./km in autumn. Despite these contrasting trends, density-weighted centres of gravity of both groups remained within
the estuarine mouth zone (approximately 122°E, 31.2°-31.4°N) across all cruises. Spatial overlap was highest in spring (GIC =
0.996) and declined in summer and autumn (GIC ≈ 0.940), indicating progressive spatial segregation while retaining a shared dis-
tribution core. Bottom salinity was the primary environmental constraint: density of both groups was negatively correlated with
salinity across all seasons (Spearman ρ: −0.508 to −0.807, all P < 0.001). Salinity fronts were consistently located between 122.1°
and 122.5°E, coinciding spatially with YOY distribution centres. The estuarine mouth zone functions as a stable nursery for C.
nasus juveniles, as evidenced by consistently high densities and a spatially persistent distribution centre across seasons. Bottom
salinity gradients and salinity front dynamics appear to be primary factors regulating the age-specific spatial distribution of C.
nasus in the estuary. These results offer a quantitative basis for delineating critical nursery habitats and developing habitat-ori-
ented management measures in the context of the ongoing fishing ban.

Key words: Coilia nasus; spatio-temporal distribution; spatial statistical analysis; nursery habitat; the Yangtze River Estuary
Corresponding authors: TANG Wenqiao. E-mail: wqtang@shou.edu.cn;
LIU Kai. E-mail: liuk@ffrc.cn
Funding projects: Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences
(CAFS) (2024XT1003, 2023TD11)

中国水产学会主办 sponsored by China Society of Fisheries https://www.china-fishery.cn
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