Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment (생태와환경)

The Korean Society of Limnology (한국수생태학회)
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Trophic Level and Ecological Niche Assessment of Two Sympatric Freshwater Fish, Microphysogobio rapidus and Microphysogobio yaluensis Using Stable Isotope Analysis

안정동위원소 분석을 활용한 멸종위기종 여울마자와 동서종 돌마자의 영양단계 및 생태적 지위 평가

  • Dae-Hee Lee (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Hye-Ji Oh (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Yerim Choi (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Geun-Hyeok Hong (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • InHyuck Baek (Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Keun-Sik Kim (Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Kwang-Hyeon Chang (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Ju-Duk Yoon (Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology)
  • 이대희 (경희대학교 환경응용과학과) ;
  • 오혜지 (경희대학교 환경응용과학과) ;
  • 최예림 (경희대학교 환경응용과학과) ;
  • 홍근혁 (경희대학교 환경응용과학과) ;
  • 백인혁 (국립생태원 멸종위기종복원센터) ;
  • 김근식 (국립생태원 멸종위기종복원센터) ;
  • 장광현 (경희대학교 환경응용과학과) ;
  • 윤주덕 (국립생태원 멸종위기종복원센터)
  • Received : 2024.03.23
  • Accepted : 2024.03.29
  • Published : 2024.03.31
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Abstract

In ecosystems within limited resources, interspecific competition is inevitable, often leading to the competitive exclusion of inferior species. This study aims to provide foundational information for the conservation and restoration management of Microphysogobio rapidus by evaluating species' ecological response to biological factors within its habitat. To understand this relationship, we collected food web organisms from site where M. rapidus coexist with Microphysogobio yaluensis, a specie ecologically similar to M. rapidus, and evaluated the trophic levels (TL), isotopic niche space (INS), and the overlap of INS among fishes within the habitat using stable isotope analysis. Our analysis revealed that the M. rapidus exhibited a higher TL than M. yaluensis, with TL of 2.6 and 2.4, respectively. M. yaluensis exhibited a broad INS, significantly influencing the feeding characteristics of most fish. Conversely, M. rapidus showed a narrow INS and asymmetric feeding relationships with other species, in habitats with high competition levels. This feeding characteristics of M. rapidus indicate that the increase in competitors sharing the similar resources lead to a decrease in available resources and, consequently, is expected to result in a decrease in their density.

중상류 유수 하천의 경우, 빠른 유속의 특징을 가지기 때문에 서식지 내 어류의 섭식활동은 저서에서 집중적으로 일어나고 이에 따라 어류 종간 자원 경쟁이 발생하는데 이와 같은 생물 간 상호작용은 경쟁적 열위에 해당하는 종의 배제라는 결과를 유도한다. 따라서 멸종위기종인 여울마자의 개체수 감소 현상의 이해를 위해서는 서식지 특이적인 생물학적 요인에 의한 영향을 고려할 필요가 있다. 본 연구는 여울마자 및 여울마자와 생태적으로 유사한 종인 돌마자가 공통으로 출현하는 지점을 대상으로 먹이망 구성생물들을 채집하였고 안정동위원소를 기반으로 하여 서식지 내 어류들의 섭식특성 및 경쟁 정도를 정량적으로 분석하였다. 대상 종들의 영양 단계의 경우, 여울마자와 돌마자 각각 2.6, 2.4가 분석되어 잡식성향의 영양단계를 보였으나 타 어류에 비해 상대적으로 초식성향이 강한 것으로 나타났다. 안정동위원소 믹싱모델 분석 결과, 모든 어류가 부착성 유기물 기원의 먹이원에 대한 의존도가 높았고 생태지위면적의 경우 돌마자는 가장 넓은 생태지위면적을 보이는 동시에 타 어류 종의 생태지위면적에 중첩되는 정도가 가장 높게 나타났다. 반면, 여울마자는 조사지점에서 생태지위면적이 매우 좁은 것으로 분석되었다. 또한 돌마자, 참중고기와 비대칭적인 생태지위면적의 중첩 정도를 보여 해당 종들에 의해 섭식활동이 제한되는 것으로 분석되었다. 본 연구는 여울마자의 제한적인 분포를 결정하는 주요 요인들 중 생물학적 요인에 초점을 두어 평가한 것으로 향후 본 연구의 결과를 활용하여 서식지의 이화학적 요인과의 복합적인 분석이 수행된다면 여울마자의 개체수 감소에 대한 유추가 가능할 것으로 예상되며 여울마자의 보존 및 복원관리 방안 수립의 중요자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 예상된다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 논문은 환경부의 지원을 받아 수행되었습니다 (NIE-고유연구-2023-47, NIE-B-2024-47).

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