The physical chemical habitat of the Buenos Aires pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Teleostei, Atherinopsidae), with a proposal of a water quality index.

GÓMEZ SERGIO E.; MENNI ROBERTO C.; GONZALEZ NAYA MARIA JIMENA; RAMIREZ LUCIANA

ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES

Springer

Año: 2007 p. 161 - 171

0378-1909

Abstract The pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes 1835) (Atheriniformes, Atherin-opsidae) is a highly valued food and sport fish both in Argentina and abroad, and has been introduced in numerous atural and manmade environments in this country, Chile, Japan, and Italy. Considering a wide array of  environments, where the pejerrey lives and somewhere it doesnot, we demonstrate its considerable eurytopyand define its range as water traits and chemical composition concern. Moreover, as pejerrey’snatural habitat, the pampasic lagunas (lakes of third-order) in temperate Argentina display a wider range of chemistry traits than many other environments throughout the country, we confirm its adaptability, suggested by previous introduc-tionsuccess. Relative influence of total conduc-tivity and particular ions is evaluated, as well as the relationship of water traits with the fish dis-tribution. A water quality index is provided, which allows the determination of the best con-ditions for pejerrey cultivation in both artificial and natural conditions. The index summarizes many traits of the realized niche of the fish.The pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes 1835) (Atheriniformes, Atherin-opsidae) is a highly valued food and sport fish both in Argentina and abroad, and has been introduced in numerous atural and manmade environments in this country, Chile, Japan, and Italy. Considering a wide array of  environments, where the pejerrey lives and somewhere it doesnot, we demonstrate its considerable eurytopyand define its range as water traits and chemical composition concern. Moreover, as pejerrey’snatural habitat, the pampasic lagunas (lakes of third-order) in temperate Argentina display a wider range of chemistry traits than many other environments throughout the country, we confirm its adaptability, suggested by previous introduc-tionsuccess. Relative influence of total conduc-tivity and particular ions is evaluated, as well as the relationship of water traits with the fish dis-tribution. A water quality index is provided, which allows the determination of the best con-ditions for pejerrey cultivation in both artificial and natural conditions. The index summarizes many traits of the realized niche of the fish. Keywords Water chemistry Æ Aquaculture Æ Temperate limnology Æ Ecological indicesWater chemistry Æ Aquaculture Æ Temperate limnology Æ Ecological indices