Habitat loss predicts the functional extinction of fish from Amazonian streams during the Anthropocene

Colares, Lucas Ferreira; Montag, Luciano Fogaça de Assis; Dunck, Bárbara

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156210

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Sars and Thermocyclops minutus Lowndes). The loss of these sensitive and specialised species is likely to have led to ecosystem functioning loss, since specialised species usually play unique roles in ecosystem functioning (Colares et al, 2022; Hébert et al, 2016; Mouillot et al, 2013). Nevertheless, it is clear from our results that a previous functionally heterogenous community was modified after river damming, and the remaining community was functionally homogenised throughout the reservoir.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of zooplankton after river damming in Central Brazil

Silva,

Colares,

Palheta

et al. 2023

Freshwater Biology

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Dams on large rivers alter hydrodynamics, reduce seasonal variability and environmental heterogeneity, and have significant effects on river ecology. They produce less diverse environments and alter the community composition. Knowledge about the effects of dams on functional aspects of zooplankton communities is scarce. Thus, our main goal was to investigate how the zooplankton community of the Tocantins River in central Brazil changed after the implementation of the Estreito hydroelectric power plant dam. We explored the relationships of taxonomic and functional beta diversity in the zooplankton community, with the seasonality, flooding river phases and limnological variables. To answer our goals, we collected water samples 1 year before plant construction and 5 months after dam enclosure. To investigate how the environment changed after river damming, we conducted a principal component analysis. We calculated taxonomic and functional beta diversity using the Jaccard pairwise dissimilarity index for presence–absence data. To identify which functional traits were associated with each river phase and season, we firstly calculated the community weighted mean (CWM) for each trait. Secondly, we partitioned beta diversity into turnover and nestedness components. To investigate patterns of taxonomic and functional beta diversity and its turnover and nestedness components, we additionally used a series of six linear mixed models. Our results indicated that the limnological characteristics of the river changed after damming. Taxonomic and functional turnover was higher during the pre‐inundation phase, and this phase also showed greater limnological heterogeneity in comparison to the post‐inundation phase. We observed a strong seasonal dynamic in taxonomic turnover, with high turnover during the dry season. However, these seasonal dynamics disappeared after river damming. We demonstrated that the patterns of taxonomic and functional beta diversities were influenced by limnological variables and seasonal dynamics, which resulted in reduced variability in both species composition and functional characteristics after the implementation of the reservoir. This study emphasises the importance of variations in annual flow regimes in lotic ecosystems. We also showed an association between environmental heterogeneity patterns the high taxonomic and functional diversity of zooplankton communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of zooplankton after river damming in Central Brazil

Silva,

Colares,

Palheta

et al. 2023

Freshwater Biology

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“…Conservation translocation (hereafter 'translocation') is a management option increasingly applied to halt or reverse species decline and extinction; it refers to the deliberate movement and release of organisms from one location to another for the purpose of protecting a threatened species (IUCN, 1998;IUCN, 2013;Seddon et al, 2014;Seddon, Strauss & Innes, 2012). The goal of this practice is to establish new populations either within or outside the species' native range, increase its genetic diversity (to reduce inbreeding) and ultimately to restore ecological functions, processes and services that were lost when the species became locally extinct (Colares, de Assis Montag & Dunck, 2022;George et al, 2009). However, translocations can also have adverse impacts, such as the introduction of diseases or parasites to the new location, competition with or predation on native species or hybridization with closely related native species (Dunham et al, 2011;IUCN, 1998;IUCN, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Almost one‐third of freshwater fish species worldwide inhabiting rivers, lakes and wetlands are under immediate threat of extinction (Reid et al, 2019; International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2020; Su et al, 2021). Fish are a vital part of freshwater ecosystems, and their decline or extinction can have a wide range of adverse impacts on ecosystem functioning, leading to a cascade of effects on other organisms, reducing the resilience of the ecosystem to disturbances and consequently its ability to provide ecosystem services (Colares, de Assis Montag & Dunck, 2022). Therefore, it is essential to manage freshwater resources sustainably and protect aquatic biota while meeting the increasing demand for water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing, implementing and monitoring the translocation of a highly threatened freshwater fish

Kalogianni,

Leris,

Vardakas

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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Conservation translocations are increasingly applied for the protection of threatened species, but their success depends strongly on pre‐release preparatory work and strict implementation methodology, followed by post‐release monitoring. The aim of this work was to implement a conservation translocation that involved (a) the design and application of a pre‐release feasibility assessment tool for the selection of the translocation water bodies; (b) the translocation of 77 individuals of the highly threatened freshwater Corfu killifish Valencia letourneuxi in 2015, 2016 and 2017; and (c) a 5‐year post‐release monitoring with multiple methods. After initial pre‐screening, a feasibility assessment was conducted on two potential release water bodies (R‐WBs) and on four potential source water bodies (S‐WBs), using a custom‐made feasibility assessment tool that incorporated 14 criteria for the potential R‐WBs, related to the species' habitat requirements, human pressures and technical issues. Two criteria were applied to the potential S‐WBs, on source population availability and on its genetic compatibility to the release area. Post‐release monitoring (2017–2022) was conducted with fish sampling methods, underwater video recording and/or using environmental DNA (eDNA). The feasibility assessment tool gave one R‐WB high, positive score, and one S‐WB met both criteria, thus these selected as the translocation water bodies. Despite the low number of founders, the establishment of a self‐reproducing population was finally confirmed in 2022 in the R‐WB, initially with video recording and subsequently by fish sampling and eDNA. This study highlights the importance of pre‐release feasibility assessment, the use of multiple post‐release monitoring methods and actions to secure the long‐term viability of the translocated population. The feasibility assessment tool and the methodological protocol can easily be modified for successful application to other freshwater fish species, with different habitat requirements, current and future human pressures and genetic constraints.

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“…Also, communities can be more similar regarding their response functional traits due to some anthropogenic or natural cause, driving functional homogenization (e.g., Gentilin-Avanci et al, 2021;Feng et al, 2023;Rivera et al, 2023). One of the main anthropogenic actions that decrease functional diversity in freshwater ecosystems are deforestation and agriculture (Colares et al, 2022). These interferences promote habitat loss and chemical changes in freshwater ecosystems, causing some rare species to disappear, thus promoting the functional redundancy of the remaining species (Violle et al, 2017) and functional homogenization (Petsch, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flood did not cause the taxonomic and functional homogenization of Chironomidae (Diptera) community in a Neotropical floodplain

Silva,

Petsch

2024

Acta Limnol. Bras.

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Aim We investigated the hypothesis that flood decreases the taxonomic and functional beta diversity of Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae among floodplain lakes, causing biotic homogenization. Methods We collected benthic samples using a modified Petersen grab in 18 lakes in a flood period (March 2011) and a drought period (September 2011) in the Upper Paraná River floodplain. We compared the taxonomic and functional beta diversity of Chironomidae among lakes in flood and drought periods using a multivariate dispersion analysis (PERMDISP). Results We found similar taxonomic and functional beta diversity of the Chironomidae between hydrological periods. Conclusions We did not find evidence of biotic homogenization due to flood pulse. Our findings suggest other mechanisms besides increasing connectivity and environmental similarity due to flood pulse that may structure the benthic community, such as variation in the identity of flood-tolerant morphospecies across lakes.

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Habitat loss predicts the functional extinction of fish from Amazonian streams during the Anthropocene

Cited by 5 publications

References 61 publications

Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of zooplankton after river damming in Central Brazil

Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of zooplankton after river damming in Central Brazil

Designing, implementing and monitoring the translocation of a highly threatened freshwater fish

Flood did not cause the taxonomic and functional homogenization of Chironomidae (Diptera) community in a Neotropical floodplain

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