Physicochemical tolerance ranges and ecological characteristics in two different populations of Carassius auratus and Cyprinus carpio

The objectives of this research were to determine mean and maximum tolerance ranges of Carassius auratus ($C_a$) and Cyprinus carpio ($C_c$) populations on various physico-chemical parameters and ecological indicator metrics. Little is known about chemical tolerance ranges of the two species, even though these species are widely distributed species in aquatic ecosystems. Maximum tolerance ranges of $C_a$-population to total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were $20.3mgL^{-1}$ and $2.0mgL^{-1}$, respectively. Optimal ranges of TN and TP in the $C_a$-population were $1.7-5.0mgL^{-1}$ and $0.06-0.30mgL^{-1}$, respectively. Such nutrient regimes of the $C_a$-population were evaluated as hypereutrophy, indicating high tolerance limits. The $C_c$-population had similar ecological characteristics to $C_a$-population, but the mean tolerance ranges of TN, TP, BOD, and COD were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than the $C_a$-population. Ecological patterns of trophic composition and tolerance guilds in the $C_a$-population were similar to those of the $C_c$-population. The model value of Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) of the habitat where C. auratus and C. carpio co-occurred averaged $15.0{\pm}4.3$ and $12.9{\pm}3.6$, respectively. Based on the modified criteria of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Klemm et al. 1993), it indicated poor ecological health of both species. These results suggest that both species are highly tolerant to chemical and physical habitat conditions of waterbodies, and that the chemical tolerance range of $C_c$-population was higher than $C_a$-population.