Abstract:
Fish dynamic studies in rice agroecosystem are still lacking in Peninsular Malaysia.
This study aim to explore the community structure of fishes in rice agroecosystem in
different stages, habitat and seasons of paddy planting. Multiple sampling gears were
used, including cast net, gill net and scoop net. Twenty-six species of fishes were
recorded from 14 families, dominated by Cyprinidae, followed by Osphronemidae,
Bagridae and Clariidae. Fish communities based on rank abundance curves possess
log normal distribution. Species diversity, species richness and species evenness in
both seasons were similar but species richness between seasons did not have
significant differences. Species diversity is the highest at reproductive (Shannon;
1.83 ± 0.17 and 1.93 ± 0.10) while, species evenness is the highest at vegetative
(Evenness; 0.70 ± 0.10 and 0.69 ± 0.10) but species richness is the highest at the
ripening stage (Margalef; 1.81 ± 0.57 and 2.98 ± 0.21). Species diversity and
evenness were the highest in the river meanwhile species richness is higher in the
concrete canals and earth ditches. The significant difference (p < 0.05) of species
richness was observed between both seasons across all stages in all habitats except
river during vegetative and reproductive stage. Fish taxonomic diversity at all stages
and habitats did not have significant differences (p > 0.05). However, dendrogram
and nMDS results showed that fish assemblages were separated into two groups
(69% similarity) and three groups (80% similarity).
