[pp.89-96]

‹Research Report›The Fish Fauna of Farm Ponds in Northeastern Japan and its Contribution to the Maintenanc

Yoshito MITSUO, Mitsuru OHIRA, Hiroshi TSUNODA, Yohei SHONO and Yutaro SENGA （Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology / Eight-Japan Engineering Consultants Inc.）

Abstract:
Although pond conservation activities are gradually increasing, the scientific knowledge on farm pond biota is still fragmentary. The objective of this study was to assess farm ponds as fish habitats based on a comparison with lotic systems, and then to consider the contribution of farm ponds to biodiversity and the significance of pond conservation. The investigations were conducted at 15 farm ponds and six sites on the drainage channels in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan. A total of 17 fish species were collected in the field surveys, and among these, two threatened species appeared in only the farm pond. The fish fauna of the farm ponds differs distinctly from that of the channels and was characterized by Carassius sp. and Pseudorasbora parva. Since these species are suggested to show a preference for still or slow-moving water, farm ponds are expected to provide a hospitable environment for these species. Additionally, for Carassius sp., considering the low proportion of small individuals suggested to be of the current year class, reproduction has likely been inhibited in the channels. Because characteristics of farm ponds as a lentic system might be difficult to be created at rivers or channels using the existing environmentally sensitive engineering methods, the preservation of farm ponds can contribute greatly to conservation of regional fish diversity.

Key Word:
farm pond, fish fauna, regional diversity

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