2017 Volume 23 Pages 705-710
River channel confluences, in which the joining of multiple streams create complex riverbed morphology and flow, feature high biodiversity and intrinsic ecological value. This study shows how river channel confluences influence habitat diversity and fish richness in the stream of middle stream of the Chikugo River basin. I elucidated river channel confluence area has high fish species richness, associated with its high habitat diversity. The high habitat diversity in river channel confluences showed a significant and negative relationship with the proportion of water surface in channel and a significant and positive relationship with some confluence hydraulics variables. Therefore, I concluded that river channel confluences provide high fish richness and habitat diversity which were driven by the confluence hydraulics and abundant room for river.
