Estuarine‐dependent fishes experience a wide range of environmental conditions, and most species exhibit distinct associations with particular habitats. However, similar species or multiple conspecifics often overlap spatiotemporally, which can result in ecological interactions that have consequences for behaviors that can shape the structure and function of ecosystems. We used a long‐term gill‐net data set (2001–2015) to investigate the habitat associations and co‐occurrence patterns of two estuarine‐dependent predatory fishes, Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus and Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus, in coastal Alabama, USA. Both species were associated with similar environmental conditions, primarily low dissolved oxygen and low salinity, especially when temperature was low. However, differences emerged between the species with respect to the effects of interacting environmental variables on their habitat use patterns, which were likely driven by physiological, biological, and ecological dissimilarities between them. Concerning their biogenic habitat use, extensive submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) was an important habitat for both species, but Spotted Seatrout appeared to prefer high‐salinity SAV beds, while Red Drum associated with SAV regardless of salinity. Spotted Seatrout were associated with extensive emergent marsh edges, and the positive relationship between Red Drum and SAV was diminished when marsh edge was abundant. Co‐occurrence was observed primarily in habitats with which both species were associated, most frequently in shallow, prey‐rich marsh edges and high‐salinity seagrass beds. These observed habitat use patterns elucidate the subtle differences in resource use that allow these species to coexist and suggest potential areas where interactions between them may shape their roles as predators.

中文翻译：

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两种依赖河口的掠食性鱼类的栖息地关联和共现模式

依赖河口的鱼类会经历各种各样的环境条件，并且大多数物种与特定的生境表现出明显的关联。但是，相似物种或多种特定物种通常在时空上重叠，这可能导致生态相互作用，从而影响那些可以改变生态系统结构和功能的行为。我们使用了一个长期的刺网数据集（2001-2015）调研两个河口依赖的是掠食性鱼类的栖息地协会和共生模式，红鱼美国红鱼和云纹犬牙石首鱼云纹犬牙石首鱼，位于美国阿拉巴马州沿海地区。两种物种都具有相似的环境条件，主要是低溶解氧和低盐度，尤其是在温度较低时。但是，在相互作用的环境变量对它们的栖息地使用方式的影响方面，物种之间出现了差异，这可能是由于它们之间的生理，生物学和生态上的差异所致。关于它们的生物源生境利用，广泛的淹没水生植被（SAV）是这两个物种的重要生境，但Spotted Seatrout似乎更喜欢高盐度的SAV床，而无论色度如何，红鼓都与SAV相关。斑驳的西特鲁特与大量涌出的沼泽边缘相关，当沼泽边缘丰富时，红鼓与SAV之间的正相关关系减弱。共生主要发生在两个物种相关的生境中，最常见的是在浅的，猎物丰富的沼泽边缘和高盐度海草床中。这些观察到的栖息地使用方式阐明了资源利用之间的细微差异，这些差异使这些物种可以共存，并提出了潜在的区域，它们之间的相互作用可能影响它们作为掠食者的角色。