Abstract: In order to probe the ecological niche characteristics of dominant fish species in the northeast Hangzhou Bay (30°00′-31°30′N,121°00′-122°24′E), a fixed net survey of fishing resources was monthly conducted from May to October 2020. The species composition, dominant species and ecological niche of fishery resources were analyzed by relative importance index, ecological niche breadth, ecological niche overlap index, and hierarchical clustering method. The results showed that there were 12 dominant species in three seasons, with dominant tapertail anchovy (Coiliamystus) and striped puffer (Takifuguxanthopterus) in all three seasons. The 12 dominant species had temporal niche breadth values from 0.10 to 1.01, with the maximal temporal niche breadth (1.01) in the tapertail anchovy and the minimal in Pampusargenteus. The 12 dominant species had spatial niche breadth values from 0.15 to 1.67, with the maximum in the tapertail anchovy and the minimal in Trypauchenvagina. The spatio-temporal niche breadth values of the 12 dominant species were found from 0.02 to 1.60, with the maximum in the tapertail anchovy and the minimal in P.argenteus. The spatial niche overlap of dominant fish species was high in the northeast of Hangzhou Bay, with 68.18% having overlapping significance, and 34.85% having significant overlapping significance. The ecological niche breadth of dominant fish species was found to be significant seasonal variation in the northeast of Hangzhou Bay, with the similar degree of spatial utilization, and difference in the utilization over time. Therefore, the study of spatio-temporal ecological niches of dominant species can not only further enrich the basic data of fishing resources in the northeast of Hangzhou Bay, but also provide scientific basis for the conservation and rational utilization of fishing resources in the northeast Hangzhou Bay.
2023, Vol. 38 
