Ecological assessment of a southeastern Brazil reservoir

Martins, Isabela; Sanches, Bárbara de Oliveira; Kaufmann, Philip R.; Hughes, Robert M.; Santos, Gilmar B.; Molozzi, Joseline; Callisto, Marcos

doi:10.1590/1676-06032015006114

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…(e) Therefore, dams and reservoirs change local taxonomic structure and composition depending on their size and operations, including the increased prevalence of non‐native invasive species (Hughes, Rinne, & Calamusso, ; Johnson, Olden, & Vander Zanden, ; Linares, Callisto, & Marques, ; Terra & Araujo, ; White, ). Importantly, studies on these ecological impacts are mainly based on large dams (e.g., Agostinho, Pelicice, & Gomes, ; Horsák, Bojková, Zahrádková, Omesová, & Helešic, ; Martins et al, ), whereas information about the ecological consequences of small hydropower dams is largely lacking (e.g., Anderson, Moggridge, Shucksmith, & Warren, ; Mbaka & Wanjiru Mwaniki, ; Obruca & Hauer, ; Wang, Chen, Liu, & Zhu, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small hydropower dam alters the taxonomic composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in a neotropical river

Linares

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Solar

et al. 2019

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Hydropower dams substantially modify lotic ecosystems. Most studies regarding their ecological impacts are based on large dams and provide little information about the far more abundant effects of small hydropower dams. Our aim was to characterize the ecological effects of a small hydropower dam and run-of-the-river reservoir on the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Pandeiros River located in the neotropical savanna of Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in sites directly affected by the dam and reservoir would show a different taxonomic structure compared with those in free-flowing sites. We expected to find sensitive native species associated with the free-flowing sites, whereas resistant and non-native invasive taxa were expected in impounded sites. We also explored associations between the presence of native and nonnative invasive taxa to each habitat type. We found that the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages was significantly different between free-flowing and impounded sites. Also, we found that the dam and reservoir facilitated colonization of non-native invasive species (Corbicula fluminea and Melanoides tuberculata) because only in those sites they were found in high abundance, in contrast to the free-flowing sites. Although the environmental conditions imposed by the impoundment altered the structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages, the effects were limited to sites closest to the dam. Our results highlight the necessity of understanding physical habitat changes caused by the presence and management of run-of-the-river dams and reservoirs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small hydropower dam alters the taxonomic composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in a neotropical river

Linares

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Solar

et al. 2019

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“…The RFAI was effective in detecting agricultural impacts, even in oligotrophic reservoirs, where the relationships between biota and reservoir conditions were less clear when simpler biological indicators were employed (Martins et al, ; Morais et al, ). Although expecting heavily modified reservoir fish assemblages, it was possible to perceive how agriculture influenced them even more.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fish‐based multimetric index for evaluating land use effects on large neotropical reservoirs

et al. 2019

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Because of their importance to human well-being and ecosystem services, it is important to have cost-effective methods for assessing reservoir ecological condition or health. To do so, we constructed a preliminary reservoir fish assemblage index (RFAI) to assess the effect of predominantly agricultural land use on two oligotrophic neotropical reservoirs that differed in disturbance level. We first determined the disturbance levels around each reservoir through use of an integrated disturbance index (IDI). The IDI was calculated from the combination of land use metrics at local (Local Disturbance Index -LDI) and buffer scales (Buffer Disturbance Index -BDI).Afterwards, we employed the IDI to assess the response of candidate metrics to environmental disturbance in the RFAI construction. The final RFAI included three metrics selected by range, responsiveness, and redundancy tests. Metrics were scored continuously, and the final RFAI was divided in four quality classes: very poor, poor, acceptable and good. The results showed a clear disturbance gradient in both reservoirs with the IDI values varying between 0.07 and 1.33. However, the IDI values were greater around Volta Grande reservoir because of the predominance of agriculture land use (at local and buffer scales). The RFAI scores in Nova Ponte reservoir were significantly higher than in Volta Grande. All the sites scored as very poor or poor were in Volta Grande and all the sites scored as good were in Nova Ponte.In addition, RFAI scores in the reservoir river arms did not differ from those in the reservoir main body, indicating that it was applicable to both habitat types. Finally, our RFAI scores indicated no significant seasonal difference in the two reservoirs; however, the rainy season produced a greater range and more low scores, particularly in Volta Grande. We related this result to the harmful effect of agriculture and the surface runoff of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Thus, the RFAI was effective in detecting agricultural impacts at the site scale, even in oligotrophic reservoirs. K E Y W O R D Sagriculture, oligotrophic, RFAI, Upper Paraná River Basin

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“…Desta forma são observados efeitos na composição e abundância de espécies, com proliferação daquelas de maior plasticidade trófica e reprodutiva e eliminação das mais sensíveis, incluindo as reofílicas e migradoras (Agostinho et al 2016, Becker et al 2016, Sanches et al 2016. A presença de reservatórios em cascata (Petesse et al 2014), alterações no uso do solo (Martins et al 2015, Morais et al 2017, entre outros fatores, intensificam os impactos negativos sobre a biota (Harding et al 1998, Van Sickle et al 2004. FIGURA 9 -Impactos da construção de reservatórios hidrelétricos sobre a ictiofauna: mudanças na estrutura da ictiofauna no reservatório, favorecendo a redução da abundância de espécies reofílicas, notadamente aquelas com grandes exigências migratórias para se reproduzir (espécies de piracema), a exemplo de (A e B) curimbatás (Prochilodus spp.…”

Section: 4-impactos De Reservatórios Hidrelétricosunclassified