Ecosystem health assessment of Egong Bay fisheries area in Shenzhen based on index of biological integrity of fish

Objective Ecosystem health of Egong Bay fisheries area in Shenzhen was assessed based on index of bio-logical integrity of fish(F-IBI), in order to provide reference for ecological restoration in typical fisheries area in inshore of South China Sea. MethodBased on survey for biological resources and ecological environment in four seasons from Au-gust(summer) and November(autumn) in 2012 to February(winter) and May(spring) in 2013, six indicators including to-tal number of species, percentage of sciaenidae species, percentage of sparidae species, percentage of plank feeding species, percentage of benthic feeding species and percentage of benthic-piscivorous feeding species, were used in estab-lishing index of biological integrity of fish(F-IBI) of Egong Bay. The suitability of F-IBI was tested by principal component analysis(PCA) and Pearson correlation analysis. ResultPercentage of sciaenidae species, percentage of sparidae species, percentage of plank feeding species, percentage of benthic feeding species had larger influence on F-IBI assessment and they were major assessment indicators. F-IBI of Egong Bay fisheries area was positively correlated with water temperature, salinity, chemical oxygen demand(COD) and petroleum, and was negatively correlated to pH, dissolved oxygen(DO), dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN), reactive phosphate(PO43--P), and suspended matter. There were significant correction between F-IBI and salinity, COD, and suspended matters(P<0.01). ConclusionF-IBI assessment system, based on total number of species, percentage of sciaenidae species, percentage of sparidae species, percentage of plank feeding species, percentage of benthic feeding species and percentage of benthic-piscivorous feeding species, is feasible, and can be used in ecosystem health assessment for typical fisheries area in inshore of South China Sea.