Abstract Ecosystem services provided by communities are related to the diversity of functional traits, and biotic functional simplification occurs when this diversity is reduced. Thus, we used the approach of functional indices, applied to the abundance of fish larvae and traits of the spawning stock, to evaluate the spatial and temporal variations in the functional diversity of the fish community of a Neotropical reservoir. The following hypotheses were tested: (i) different environmental conditions between reproductive periods lead to temporal variations in the functional diversity of the community, and (ii) the spatial heterogeneity (longitudinal and lateral) of the environmental conditions formed in the reservoir causes functional biotic simplification to occur from lotic towards lentic areas since the original community was formed by rheophilic species. Larval collections were carried out monthly, at night, between October and March, from 2009 to 2016, with plankton nets equipped with a flowmeter in nine sample areas categorised into three longitudinal zones (fluvial‐FLU, transition‐TRA and lacustrine‐LAC) and three sides (upper‐UPP, middle‐MID and lower‐LOW). Water samples were obtained to measure the temperature and turbidity. Precipitation and reservoir quotas were obtained from official agencies. After the identification of captured larvae, we determined which species were present and used the functional traits of the adults (parental stock), obtained from specialised literature, and functional richness (FRic) and its corresponding standardised effect size (SES.FRic) were computed. The spatiotemporal variations in these indices were evaluated through the two‐way block factorial MANOVA/ANOVA. Their association with environmental variables was inferred through multiple linear regression models. Altogether, 51,995 larvae were captured with the highest abundance in the period V, longitudinally in LAC and TRA and laterally in LOW. Among these, the functional indices were higher in periods IV and V. The highest values of FRic occurred longitudinally in FLU and laterally in LOW. Among the abiotic conditions, rainfall and water temperature were the most influential variables over functional indices and total larvae abundance. The results indicate that fish reproduction is linked to spatiotemporal variations in abiotic conditions confirming our first hypothesis. The second hypothesis was partially supported because functional biotic simplification was observed in the longitudinal gradient, with reductions in FRic in LAC. However, this reduction was not observed in the lateral gradient. We showed that the temporal variability of abiotic conditions is important for the high functional diversity of reservoirs.
Abstract For understanding the reproductive dynamics of fish assemblages and their relationship with environmental conditions, we need to know more about spawning areas and periods. Studies on temporal and spatial patterns of occurrence of fish eggs and larvae are important for obtaining this kind of information quickly and accurately. In this study, we analysed spatial and temporal patterns of fish larvae in different biotopes in a stretch of the floodplain of U pper P arana R iver, in I lha G rande N ational P ark, southern B razil. We carried out night sampling during six spawning periods, from 2001 to 2008. We selected 18 sampling sites distributed in the mainstream, tributaries and lagoons, encompassing several types of biotopes. We observed significant spatial and temporal differences among biotopes in the composition and structure of the fish larvae assemblages. Lentic environments favoured the development of sedentary and migratory species, whereas tributaries were used as migratory routes and spawning areas. The assemblage in period I differed from the assemblages of other periods, probably because of the presence of dams in the P arana R iver. No association was observed between environmental variables and spatial and temporal patterns of the ichthyoplankton assemblages. Hence, conservation measures are essential to maintain the environmental integrity of spawning (tributaries) and development areas (lagoons) for the maintenance of biodiversity in the floodplain of U pper P araná R iver.
Abstract The aim of the present study was to verify the use of the arms of the Itaipu Reservoir as areas of initial development for migratory fish species and to assess the relationship between rainfall and the spawning of migratory fish. Accordingly, fish larvae were collected from five arms of the reservoir from 2009 to 2016 using 0.5 mm plankton nets. Density was standardized as the number of larvae per 10 m 3 filtered water, and the captured larval and juvenile specimens were identified at the lowest‐possible taxonomic level. The larvae were also classified according to the degree of development and notochord flexion stage: larval vitelline, pre‐flexion, flexion and post‐flexion. To evaluate the distribution of larval abundance and the developmental stage along the longitudinal gradients of the arms, the data were evaluated using a set of nested linear models, following the AIC and Bayesian information criteria. In addition, an analysis of covariance was performed to investigate the influence of rainfall on the larval abundance of migratory species. During sampling, several species of economic and conservation interest such as Salminus brasiliensis and Pseudoplatystoma corruscans were collected . The larvae of the migratory fish taxa were captured from all sampled arms, which indicate them as areas of initial development. Nevertheless, it was observed that larval density increases from fluvial towards lacustrine zones inside the arms. Also, the present study verified that species, even in lentic environments, respond positively to rainfall stimuli in a manner similar to that exhibited by conspecifics in lotic environments. Such results reinforce the necessity of the protection of arms aiming at the conservation of this main group of species impaired by the construction of dams.
It was hypothesized that the structural heterogeneity provided by submerged trees positively favours the spatial distribution of fish abundance at early stages of development in an area under the influence of a Neotropical reservoir in the Paraná River basin. The distribution at early stages of development of the most abundant species was evaluated. To remove any possible confounding effect related to local environmental variables, changes in these were also evaluated. Sampling was carried out at sites with and without submerged trees. Among all individuals sampled, 96·1% were classified as larvae and 3·9% as juveniles. The area without submerged trees showed higher total abundance, but there were spatial differences in the distribution of early stage fishes. From the moment the larvae are able to swim actively, they search for sites with a complex structure. The results show that reaches with submerged trees play an important role in the early development of fishes in reservoirs, and, hence, the preservation of those trees is essential to maintain biodiversity in reservoirs.
The objective of this study was to assess the abundance, attributes of assemblages, and spatial and temporal distributions of fish larvae and their relationships with some abiotic variables in two floodplain lakes with different degrees of connection to the Paraná River in Ilha Grande National Park, PR, Brazil. Four sampling sites were chosen, two in each floodplain lake. Night samples were taken with plankton nets during three spawning seasons (monthly, from October to March) from 2001 to 2005. The highest diversity and abundance were recorded at Saraiva Lake, with 25 taxa being identified. In Xambrê Lake, only sedentary species were captured, and the most abundant species were Plagioscion squamosissimus and Hypophthalmus edentatus. The greatest abundance of larvae was found in the second spawning season. In the Saraiva Lake, the most abundant species were Moenkhausia aff. intermedia, Hyphessobrycon sp., and Bryconamericus stramineus, but larvae of known migratory species were also documented. In this lake, the greatest abundance of larvae was found in the third spawning. Larvae abundance was influenced by water temperature and conductivity. The high diversity and abundance recorded in Saraiva Lake may be a result of its connectivity with the Paraná River, and the low diversity and abundance observed at Xambrê Lake are likely due to its isolation from the river. This work shows the importance of these lagoons for fish development, for both sedentary and migratory species. Both lagoons may be considered to have extreme ecological importance and they are also extremely susceptible to impacts, so any careless disturbance may cause irreversible damage.
O estudo das fases inicias do ciclo de vida dos peixes A importante para entendimento do sucesso das espAcies no ambiente e determinar Areas e perAodos de desova. Este estudo analisou a composiAAo e a estrutura da assembleia de larvas de peixes em uma regiAo do Altimo trecho lAtico do rio ParanA, no Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, buscando a existAncia de diferenAas espaciais e temporais nos padrAes de abundAncia, riqueza, diversidade de larvas e tAxons indicadores, bem como analisar possAveis influAncias de alguns fatores abiAticos sobre as capturas. As amostragens foram noturnas e realizadas mensalmente em seis perAodos reprodutivos (outubro a marAo) entre 2001 e 2008 (perAodos I, II, III, IV, V e VI) em trAs ambientes distintos (rio, tributArios e lagoa). Para tanto, foram utilizadas redes de plAncton cAnico-cilAndricas de malha 0,5 mm, equipadas com fluxAmetro para a obtenAAo do volume de Agua filtrada. Concomitantemente As amostragens, foram obtidos dados de temperatura da Agua, oxigAnio dissolvido, condutividade elAtrica e pH. AlAm destes, tambAm foram obtidos dados referentes ao nAvel fluviomAtrico e pluviosidade. Foram determinadas, alAm das abundAncias de larvas, o nAmero de espAcies (riqueza), o Andice de diversidade de Shannon e determinado os tAxons indicadores para cada ambiente e perAodos analisados atravAs do valor indicador (IndVal). Para determinar se houve diferenAas significativas entre os fatores biAticos, foi aplicada a anAlise de variAncia de efeitos principais (ANOVA; one-way) e o teste de Tukey, modificado para nAmero de elementos distintos entre grupos (Unequal) para determinar qual nAvel diferiu. Para avaliar a relaAAo das variAveis ambientais e as abundAncias foi aplicada a anAlise de regressAo mAltipla. A assembleia de larvas de peixes do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande foi composta em sua maior parcela por organismos enquadrados na ordem Characiformes. Os perAodos I e IV foram os de maior densidade de larvas, sendo que o Altimo apresentou a maior riqueza e diversidade de espAcies. As espAcies indicadoras dos perAodos foram na maioria sedentArias, com exceAAo de Rhinelepis aspera e Salminus brasiliensis, capturadas nos perAodos (V e I, respectivamente) de maior nAvel fluviomAtrico e pluviosidade. Entre os ambientes, lagoa foi significativamente diferente de tributArios e as capturas foram bastante elevadas, com alta riqueza e baixa diversidade. Dentre as espAcies indicadoras deste ambiente, encontramos espAcies migradoras e nAo migradoras. A assembleia de larvas esteve relacionada com a temperatura da Agua, pH, oxigAnio dissolvido, nAvel fluviomAtrico e pluviosidade. Com isso foi possAvel observar a existAncia de diferenAas espaciais e temporais na composiAAo e estrutura da assemblAia de larvas na regiAo do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, principalmente relacionadas As caracterAsticas dos ambientes amostrados e aos fatores ambientais. Foi possAvel observar ainda que os ambientes lAnticos proporcionaram caracterAsticas favorAveis ao desenvolvimento tanto de espAcies sedentArias como de…
The aim of this work was to study the occurrence of ichthyoplankton in a region affected by water regulation by dams. The study area was located in the region of Ilha Grande National Park, upper Paraná River floodplain. Specifically, we examined the temporal and spatial distribution of Ichthyoplankton, identified spawning areas and established the relationships between the abundances of fish eggs and larvae and some limnological and hydrological variables. Samples were taken monthly between October and March from 2001 to 2005 at 24 sampling sites. For analytical purposes, the sampling sites were grouped into upper, middle and lower areas. The upper area of the National Park had the highest egg density and should be considered the primary spawning area. The middle area should be considered a drift area, and the lower area likely functions as a growth and feeding habitat. Statistical analyses showed that the spawning was influenced by water temperature, pH, fluviometric level and rainfall, and that larval density was influenced by pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and rainfall. The results also revealed that the tributaries apparently are used as migratory routes by fish, and and this shows the need to protect these sites.
Com base nas ocorrencias de larvas de peixes e analisando a relacao das variaveis ambientais e tracos funcionais, pretendemos avaliar a dinâmica reprodutiva das especies ao longo dos gradientes do reservatorio de Itaipu. Assumindo o pressuposto que o grau de influencia do represamento sobre a reproducao dos peixes segue o gradiente longitudinal, e que esta influencia e mais pronunciada na regiao lacustre, testamos as hipoteses: i) As variaveis ambientais influenciam nos padroes espaciais e temporais de distribuicao de larvas dos grupos funcionais de peixes em reservatorios. ii) A reproducao dos peixes no gradiente lateral segue a mesma tendencia da observada, caso exista, no gradiente longitudinal. Foram avaliados tres bracos da margem esquerda, distribuidos ao longo do gradiente longitudinal do reservatorio (zonas: lacustre, transicao e fluvial), enquanto que para a analise do gradiente lateral, cada braco foi dividido em tres regioes de acordo com a distância da area de influencia do reservatorio, sendo regiao I, proxima do corpo central, regiao II, intermediaria entre o reservatorio e o trecho lotico e III proximo ao trecho lotico do braco. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente, entre outubro e marco, no periodo de 2009 a 2016, totalizando cinco periodos. As amostragens foram realizadas com rede de plâncton, equipadas com fluxometro e no periodo noturno. Amostras de agua foram obtidas para a verificacao de algumas variaveis ambientais. Em laboratorio as larvas foram identificadas ao menor nivel taxonomico possivel e avaliadas em relacao a algumas caracteristicas funcionais relacionadas a reproducao, alimentacao e ocupacao dos estrados da coluna d’agua. Para analisar a relacao das variaveis ambientais e tracos funcionais foram realizadas as analises de RLQ e “fourth-corner”. Foram analisadas 51.995 larvas, com maiores abundâncias nas zonas lacustre e transicao e um maior numero de taxons na zona fluvial e regiao I. De modo geral, a turbidez e precipitacao influenciaram positivamente os taxons migradores, principalmente no periodo V e, o periodo IV foi negativamente influenciado pela cota do reservatorio favorecendo especies sedentarias e adaptadas a ambientes lenticos. As especies migradoras tambem estiveram relacionadas com a diferenciacao da zona fluvial. A RLQ realizada isoladamente para cada zona do gradiente longitudinal indicou uma diferenciacao da regiao I, sendo que em cada braco as variaveis ambientais influenciaram de forma distinta. Assim, podemos concluir que a composicao dos grupos funcionais das especies de peixes que reproduzem no reservatorio de Itaipu muda ao longo do gradiente longitudinal, com influencia da precipitacao, turbidez e elevacao da cota para as especies migradoras e cotas menores para as sedentarias, corroborando com a nossa primeira hipotese. Ja em relacao ao gradiente lateral esta diferenciacao nao foi tao evidenciada, podendo concluir que a reproducao das especies no gradiente lateral esta mais relacionada a sua posicao no gradiente longitudinal e desta maneira, rejeitando nossa segunda hipotese.
O estudo das fases inicias do ciclo de vida dos peixes e importante para entendimento do sucesso das especies no ambiente e determinar areas e periodos de desova. Este estudo analisou a composicao e a estrutura da assembleia de larvas de peixes em uma regiao do ultimo trecho lotico do rio Parana, no Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, buscando a existencia de diferencas espaciais e temporais nos padroes de abundância, riqueza, diversidade de larvas e taxons indicadores, bem como analisar possiveis influencias de alguns fatores abioticos sobre as capturas. As amostragens foram noturnas e realizadas mensalmente em seis periodos reprodutivos (outubro a marco) entre 2001 e 2008 (periodos I, II, III, IV, V e VI) em tres ambientes distintos (rio, tributarios e lagoa). Para tanto, foram utilizadas redes de plâncton conico-cilindricas de malha 0,5 mm, equipadas com fluxometro para a obtencao do volume de agua filtrada. Concomitantemente as amostragens, foram obtidos dados de temperatura da agua, oxigenio dissolvido, condutividade eletrica e pH. Alem destes, tambem foram obtidos dados referentes ao nivel fluviometrico e pluviosidade. Foram determinadas, alem das abundâncias de larvas, o numero de especies (riqueza), o indice de diversidade de Shannon e determinado os taxons indicadores para cada ambiente e periodos analisados atraves do valor indicador (IndVal). Para determinar se houve diferencas significativas entre os fatores bioticos, foi aplicada a analise de variância de efeitos principais (ANOVA; one-way) e o teste de Tukey, modificado para numero de elementos distintos entre grupos (Unequal) para determinar qual nivel diferiu. Para avaliar a relacao das variaveis ambientais e as abundâncias foi aplicada a analise de regressao multipla. A assembleia de larvas de peixes do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande foi composta em sua maior parcela por organismos enquadrados na ordem Characiformes. Os periodos I e IV foram os de maior densidade de larvas, sendo que o ultimo apresentou a maior riqueza e diversidade de especies. As especies indicadoras dos periodos foram na maioria sedentarias, com excecao de Rhinelepis aspera e Salminus brasiliensis, capturadas nos periodos (V e I, respectivamente) de maior nivel fluviometrico e pluviosidade. Entre os ambientes, lagoa foi significativamente diferente de tributarios e as capturas foram bastante elevadas, com alta riqueza e baixa diversidade. Dentre as especies indicadoras deste ambiente, encontramos especies migradoras e nao migradoras. A assembleia de larvas esteve relacionada com a temperatura da agua, pH, oxigenio dissolvido, nivel fluviometrico e pluviosidade. Com isso foi possivel observar a existencia de diferencas espaciais e temporais na composicao e estrutura da assembleia de larvas na regiao do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, principalmente relacionadas as caracteristicas dos ambientes amostrados e aos fatores ambientais. Foi possivel observar ainda que os ambientes lenticos proporcionaram caracteristicas favoraveis ao desenvolvimento tanto de especies sedentarias como de migradoras, enquanto que os tributarios aparentemente estao sendo utilizados como rota migratoria e areas de desova devido a captura de larvas recem eclodidas, demonstrando a importância da adocao de medidas visando a protecao destes tipos de ambiente, nao so na regiao do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, mas em todo o remanescente do trecho lotico da planicie de inundacao do alto rio Parana.
Abstract The reproductive activity of the fish assemblage in a large Neotropical reservoir was evaluated by surveying the occurrence of ichthyoplankton in response to spatial and temporal variation in environmental factors. Fish reproduction was investigated by capturing larvae along representative spatial gradients in the main body (longitudinal) and arms (lateral) of the reservoir. After identification, the captured larvae were classified into different groups according to the functional traits of their parental stock. Sampling occurred monthly at night from October to March over five reproductive periods between 2009 and 2016, using conical‐cylindrical plankton nets with flowmeter. Water samples were taken simultaneously allowing the measurement of environmental factors related to reproductive activity. The relationship between the environmental factors and the functional traits was assessed using RLQ and fourth‐corner analyses. An evaluation of 51,995 larvae revealed there was greater larval abundance in the lacustrine and transition zones of both longitudinal and lateral gradients. Occurrences often correlated with temporal instead of spatial gradients. Higher rainfall correlated with abundances of detritivorous and migratory species. Higher water levels correlated with higher abundances of non‐native species, species without parental care, with external fecundation, and partial spawning. Dry periods, with lower water and higher dissolved oxygen, correlated with higher abundances of insectivores and sedentary species. Although the presence of a dam‐free stretch of river upstream of the reservoir had a positive influence on fish larvae in the fluvial zone, the results did not show differentiation along either gradient. Thus, the composition of the functional groups of fish species that reproduce in the Itaipu Reservoir appears to be predominantly influenced by the temporal variation in environmental factors rather than the formation of spatial gradients.