中華白海豚（Sousa chinensis），又名印度太平洋駝背海豚，主要分佈於水深20公尺以內之水域，離岸距離大多不超過5到10公里，於台灣西岸分佈範圍北起苗栗南至嘉義之沿海水域皆能看到其蹤跡。然而，近年來中華白海豚主要之棲息地與人類活動有高度重疊，因此對其產生嚴重之衝擊，故瞭解中華白海豚分佈趨勢及活動模式為當前相當重要之議題。本研究目的在於探討流量對台灣西岸中華白海豚分佈之影響，以進一步了解其分佈趨勢之變化。
　　本研究以台灣西岸分佈範圍中幾條主要河川之河口作為研究區域，包括中港溪、大安溪、大甲溪、烏溪、濁水溪、新虎尾溪及北港溪共7條河川之河口，並整理上述河川之水文資料以計算水文指標；同時蒐集中華白海豚於各河口之目擊資料，用以計算其群次目擊率。首先透過主成份分析以及逐步迴歸分析來找出與群次目擊率與有顯著相關之指標，並加以連結，結果指出：(1)當河川之年最大日流量發生時間（Date max）愈早，該河川之群次目擊率則愈高，指出年最大日流量發生之時間，可能為影響中華白海豚群次目擊率之間接因子。(2)年最大30日流量（30-day max）愈大，中華白海豚之群次目擊率則愈低，指出由梅雨季節所產生之極端流量，可能會擾動溪流及河口，使其魚類多樣性降低，進而造成該河口群次目擊率的減少。
　　此外，藉由二因子變異數分析探討不同河口類型及流量對中華白海豚群次目擊率是否有所差異，結果指出：於高流量時，三角洲型河口之群次目擊率（平均值= 1.86）顯著低於非三角洲型河口之群次目擊率（平均值= 9.83）。另外在三角洲類型的河口中，高流量之群次目擊率（平均值= 1.86）顯著低於低流量之群次目擊率（平均值=7.85）；於比流量方面，高比流量之群次目擊率（平均值=4.21）顯著低於中比流量之群次目擊率（平均值= 8.11）。

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the distributions of humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and streamflow, and to understand the variation of their distribution. The study area encompassed the coast of western Taiwan, which was further divided into 7 sectors. It is primarily based on the locations of 7 river estuaries, including Zhong Gang River, Da An River, Da Jia River, Wu River, Zhuo Shui River, Xin Huwei River, and Bei Gang River. By using principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise regression, we can selecte the important indicators of hydrologic alteration (IHA) that could express the significance of humpback dolphins sighting rate (SPUE). The results indicate that (1) the earlier date of 1-day maximum flow (Date max) occurs, the higher sighting rate of humpback dolphins in the river estuary is. This suggests that the distributions of humpback dolphins are probably driven by date of 1-day maximum flow; (2) the higher annual 30-day maximum mean flow (30-day max) is, the lower sighting rate of humpback dolphins in the river estuary is. This suggests that the estuaries are probably affected by the annual 30-day maximum mean flow. Such temporary changes can affect the biodiversity, and consequently reduce the sighting rate of humpback dolphins. Furthermore, we apply the factorial analysis of variance to analyze the effects of streamflow on the different types of estuaries. The results indicate that the delta-type estuary’s SPUE is lower than the undelta-type estuary’s SPUE when high flow occurs. Besides, the factorial ANOVA indicats the delta-type estuary’s SPUE during high flow is lower than SPUE during low flow.

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