| The vulnerability of 98 native freshwater fish species of Quebec is studied in terms of an index based on 24 biological, ecological and biogeographical traits classified into six criteria: life history, geographic distribution, trophic habits, reproductive behaviour, habitat use and migration habits. For each criteria, correspondence analysis allows to infer patterns of interspecific variation of fish communities for six ichthyogeographic regions. Two vulnerability patterns emerge from the analysis: (1) species with low productivity, large body size, high trophic level and wide geographic range (including some anadromous species); and (2) species with high productivity, low trophic level, high specialisation on food or habitat resources and restricted geographic range. Twenty five out of 98 species were found at risk. Ten out of eleven species of Quebec freshwater fish identified as endangered by the committee on the status of endangered wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) are considered as vulnerable with our index. Just two out of 16 species of the potentially vulnerable species list of the Societe de la faune et des parcs du Quebec are not concordant with our results. Thus, this study is useful to identify potentially threatened species before species face problems. Furthermore, this new systematic method is exportable to other types of organisms from others geographic areas. |
