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Cataño Tenorio I, Joya CD, Márquez EJ. Spatial population genetic structure of Caquetaia kraussii (Steindachner, 1878) evidenced by species-specific microsatellite loci in the middle and low basin of the Cauca River, Colombia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304799. [PMID: 38833482 PMCID: PMC11149877 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The adaptative responses and divergent evolution shown in the environments habited by the Cichlidae family allow to understand different biological properties, including fish genetic diversity and structure studies. In a zone that has been historically submitted to different anthropogenic pressures, this study assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of cichlid Caquetaia kraussii, a sedentary species with parental care that has a significant ecological role for its contribution to redistribution and maintenance of sedimentologic processes in its distribution area. This study developed de novo 16 highly polymorphic species-specific microsatellite loci that allowed the estimation of the genetic diversity and differentiation in 319 individuals from natural populations in the area influenced by the Ituango hydroelectric project in the Colombian Cauca River. Caquetaia kraussii exhibits high genetic diversity levels (Ho: 0.562-0.885; He: 0.583-0.884) in relation to the average neotropical cichlids and a three group-spatial structure: two natural groups upstream and downstream the Nechí River mouth, and one group of individuals with high relatedness degree, possibly independently formed by founder effect in the dam zone. The three genetic groups show recent bottlenecks, but only the two natural groups have effective population size that suggest their long-term permanence. The information generated is relevant not only for management programs and species conservation purposes, but also for broadening the available knowledge on the factors influencing neotropical cichlids population genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaí Cataño Tenorio
- Sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biociencias, Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Cristhian Danilo Joya
- Sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biociencias, Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Edna Judith Márquez
- Sede Medellín, Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biociencias, Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Animal, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
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2
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Wang H, Jiang X, Liu K, Pu X, Wang Y. Swimming ability of Schizothoracinae fishes in Yarlung Zangbo River of China. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38650364 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The Yarlung Zangbo River is a river with abundant hydropower resources but fragile biodiversity in China. As an important benchmark for both research and ecological management, there is still a lack of knowledge about the swimming ability of fishes in the Yarlung Zangbo River. The induced flow velocity (Uind), critical swimming speed (Ucrit), and burst swimming speed (Uburst) of five Schizothoracinae species were tested in this study. Relative swimming ability related to body length and body shape was calculated. The results indicated that the average absolute swimming speeds (Uind-a, Ucrit-a, and Uburst-a) of all the experimental fish were 10.20 ± 0.01, 57.58 ± 3.28, and 69.54 ± 2.94 cm/s, respectively, and the corresponding relative Uind, Ucrit, and Uburst related to body length (Uind-l, Ucrit-l, Uburst-l) were 1.15 ± 0.07, 5.04 ± 0.26, and 7.23 ± 0.28 BL/s, respectively. Moreover, relative Uind, Ucrit, and Uburst related to body shape (Uind-s, Ucrit-s, and Uburst-s) were 0.80 ± 0.13, 2.49 ± 0.51, and 4.32 ± 0.57 cm-2/s, respectively. No significantly differences in relative swimming speeds existed among five species. Only Oxygymnocypris stewartii was significantly weaker in Uburst-s than Schizothorax o'connori. The body shape showed a stronger relationship with swimming speed than the body length did. Schizothoracinae fish in the Yarlung Zangbo River basin are less sensitive to the water flow and performed weaker Ucrit and Uburst compared to those in the Yangtze River basin, indicating that Schizothoracinae fish in the Yarlung Zangbo River may be more susceptible to threats from environmental changes. The paper enriched the research on the swimming ability of Schizothoracinae fishes and provided efficient data for the fish conservation in the Yarlung Zangbo River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xutao Jiang
- China Water Resources Beifang Investigation, Design and Research Co. Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Kejia Liu
- School of Management Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan, China
| | - Xunchi Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuanming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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3
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Baldan D, Cunillera-Montcusí D, Funk A, Piniewski M, Cañedo-Argüelles M, Hein T. The effects of longitudinal fragmentation on riverine beta diversity are modulated by fragmentation intensity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166703. [PMID: 37683866 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The loss of longitudinal connectivity affects river systems globally, being one of the leading causes of the freshwater biodiversity crisis. Barriers alter the dispersal of aquatic organisms and limit the exchange of species between local communities, disrupting metacommunity dynamics. However, the interplay between connectivity losses due to dams and other drivers of metacommunity structure, such as the configuration of the river network, needs to be explored. In this paper, we analyzed the response of fish communities to the network position and the fragmentation induced by dams while controlling for human pressures and environmental gradients. We studied three large European catchments covering a fragmentation gradient: Upper Danube (Austrian section), Ebro (Spain), and Odra/Oder (Poland). We quantified fragmentation through reach-scaled connectivity indices that account for the position of barriers along the dendritic network and the dispersal capacity of the organisms. We used generalized linear models to explain species richness and Local Contributions to Beta Diversity (LCBD) and multilinear regressions on the distance matrix to describe Beta Diversity and its Replacement and Richness Difference components. Results show that species richness was not affected by fragmentation. Network centrality metrics were relevant drivers of beta diversity for catchments with lower fragmentation (Ebro, Odra), and fragmentation indices were strong beta diversity predictors for the catchment with higher fragmentation (Danube). We conclude that in highly fragmented catchments, the effects of network centrality/isolation on biodiversity could be masked by the effects of dam fragmentation. In such catchments, metapopulation and metacommunity dynamics can be strongly altered by barriers, and the restoration of longitudinal connectivity (i.e. the natural centrality/isolation gradient) is urgent to prevent local extinctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Baldan
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Reaserch (ISPRA), Campo S. Provolo, 4665, 30122 Venezia, Italy; National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy.
| | - David Cunillera-Montcusí
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain; Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Ambiental, Centro Universitario Regional del Este (CURE), Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó s/n, Maldonado, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Funk
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Meta Ecosystem Dynamics in Riverine Landscapes, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; WasserCluster Lunz - Biologische Station, Dr. Carl-Kupelwieser-Prom. 5, 3293 Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Mikołaj Piniewski
- Department of Hydrology, Meteorology and Water Management, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Carrer de Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas Hein
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Meta Ecosystem Dynamics in Riverine Landscapes, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; WasserCluster Lunz - Biologische Station, Dr. Carl-Kupelwieser-Prom. 5, 3293 Lunz am See, Austria.
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4
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Carvajal-Quintero J, Comte L, Giam X, Olden JD, Brose U, Erős T, Filipe AF, Fortin MJ, Irving K, Jacquet C, Larsen S, Ruhi A, Sharma S, Villalobos F, Tedesco PA. Scale of population synchrony confirms macroecological estimates of minimum viable range size. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:291-301. [PMID: 36468276 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Global ecosystems are facing a deepening biodiversity crisis, necessitating robust approaches to quantifying species extinction risk. The lower limit of the macroecological relationship between species range and body size has long been hypothesized as an estimate of the relationship between the minimum viable range size (MVRS) needed for species persistence and the organismal traits that affect space and resource requirements. Here, we perform the first explicit test of this assumption by confronting the MVRS predicted by the range-body size relationship with an independent estimate based on the scale of synchrony in abundance among spatially separated populations of riverine fish. We provide clear evidence of a positive relationship between the scale of synchrony and species body size, and strong support for the MVRS set by the lower limit of the range-body size macroecological relationship. This MVRS may help prioritize first evaluations for unassessed or data-deficient taxa in global conservation assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carvajal-Quintero
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena- Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lise Comte
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Xingli Giam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Julian D Olden
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ulrich Brose
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena- Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Tibor Erős
- Balaton Limnological Research Institute, ELKH, Tihany, Hungary
| | - Ana Filipa Filipe
- Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory TERRA, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marie-Josée Fortin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katie Irving
- Department of Biology, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, California, USA
| | - Claire Jacquet
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Larsen
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Albert Ruhi
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Sapna Sharma
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fabricio Villalobos
- Laboratorio de Macroecología Evolutiva, Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Pablo A Tedesco
- UMR EDB, IRD 253, CNRS 5174, UPS, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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5
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Changes in the Suitable Habitats of Three Endemic Fishes to Climate Change in Tibet. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121808. [PMID: 36552317 PMCID: PMC9774986 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As one of the most sensitive regions to global climate change, Tibet is subject to remarkable changes in biota over the past decades, including endemic fish species. However, no study has attempted to predict the changes in the distribution of Tibetan fishes, leaving a great blank for aquatic conservation in Tibet. Based on the Maximum Entropy model (MaxEnt), this study predicted the changes in the suitable habitats of three endemic fish species, including two species mainly inhabiting the rivers (Glyptosternon maculatum, Oxygymnocypris stewartii) and one species mainly inhabiting lakes (Gymnocypris selincuoensis) in Tibet under two representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) under two future scenarios (2050 and 2090), and explored the impact of the barrier effects of hydropower projects on the suitable habitats of fish. The results showed that under the four scenarios, the net change in the suitable habitats of the G. maculatum was negative (-2.0--18.8%), while the suitable habitats of the O. stewartii and G. selincuoensis would be expanded, with the net change of 60.0-238.3% and 46.4-56.9%, respectively. Under different scenarios, the suitable habitats of the three species had a tendency to migrate to a higher elevation, and the largest expansion in the range of migration was projected to occur under the 2090-RCP8.5 scenario. In addition, due to the impact of the hydropower projects, the ability of G. maculatum to obtain new suitable habitats from climate change would be reduced by 2.0-8.1%, which was less than the loss induced by climate change (5.5-25.1%), while the suitable habitats of O. stewartii would be reduced by 3.0-9.7%, which was more than the impact of climate change (about 1%). The results of this study have guiding significance for the conservation and management of fish resources diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin and Siling Co basin of Tibet, and also provide a reference for the coordination and scientific planning of hydropower projects in Tibet.
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6
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Wang Y, Wu N, Tang T, Wang Y, Cai Q. Small run-of-river hydropower dams and associated water regulation filter benthic diatom traits and affect functional diversity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:152566. [PMID: 34952048 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of benthic diatom traits can help understand ecosystem function and guide biodiversity conservation. This is particularly important in rivers on which there are small run-of-river dams, which currently receive less attention. These dams generate power by drawing water from upstream and discharging it downstream after a large drop in penstock. We examine 15 functional diatom traits in habitats upstream, surrounding, and downstream of 23 small run-of-river dams in Xiangxi River, China. We compare the effects of these small dams on benthic diatom species traits, and taxonomic and functional diversity, from 90 sites. Dams change local environmental (e.g., channel width, flow velocity, depth) and physicochemical (e.g., dissolved oxygen, water temperature) variables, and a shift in diatom life forms and guilds is apparent, from taxa with strong attachment and low profile in high velocity waters (i.e., H1, H2 and H4) to those with weak attachment or that are planktonic below dams and outlets (i.e., H3 and H5), and towards high profile taxa below dams. Significant differences in biodiversity, particularly in functional richness, redundancy, and evenness, are apparent. Species and functional diversity indices are influenced by physical and chemical environmental factors (especially flow velocity and water depth). We found that diatom functional traits reflect longitudinal changes in flow and ecological condition, and suggest that monitoring such traits could be useful in adjusting flows to minimize ecosystem impacts. To maintain ecological flow and reasonable water depth within rivers we advocate for improved connectivity, carrying capacity and resilience of water ecosystems via a long-term, trait-based understanding of the impacts of small run-of-river dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaochun Wang
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Naicheng Wu
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Tao Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yuyu Wang
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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7
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Exploring the effect of 195 years-old locks on species movement: landscape genetics of painted turtles in the Rideau Canal, Canada. CONSERV GENET 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-022-01431-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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8
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Valencia-Rodríguez D, Herrera-Pérez J, Restrepo-Santamaría D, Galeano A, Winton RS, Jiménez-Segura L. Fish community turnover in a dammed Andean River over time. NEOTROPICAL ICHTHYOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2021-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT We describe the change in the fish community of the Porce River in Magdalena River Basin, Colombia, following the construction of the Porce III hydropower reservoir based on 13 years of monitoring data. The results show a clear reduction of the number of native species, which have been supplanted by colonizing non-native species, especially in the reservoir. Four native species detected prior to dam construction have apparently disappeared, but 12 new species were registered post-construction. We analyzed spatial changes in beta diversity in the aquatic environments surrounding the dam. The new environment generated by the reservoir presents a unique species composition and contributes significantly to the total beta diversity of the system. Altogether three distinct new fish assemblages emerged following reservoir formation and there are now six assemblages where there had previously been three. This dramatic change, already visible within a decade of construction, highlights just how strong of an impact dam construction has on habitats and how rapidly fish communities react in this hotspot for endemic fish diversity. Our findings demonstrate the importance of monitoring fish communities for revealing the impact of damming on river ecosystems and informs potential complementary fish diversity inventories elsewhere in the Magdalena River basin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - R. Scott Winton
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Switzerland
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9
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Aguirre WE, Alvarez‐Mieles G, Anaguano‐Yancha F, Burgos Morán R, Cucalón RV, Escobar‐Camacho D, Jácome‐Negrete I, Jiménez Prado P, Laaz E, Miranda‐Troya K, Navarrete‐Amaya R, Nugra Salazar F, Revelo W, Rivadeneira JF, Valdiviezo Rivera J, Zárate Hugo E. Conservation threats and future prospects for the freshwater fishes of Ecuador: A hotspot of Neotropical fish diversity. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 99:1158-1189. [PMID: 34235726 PMCID: PMC8518725 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater fish communities in Ecuador exhibit some of the highest levels of diversity and endemism in the Neotropics. Unfortunately, aquatic ecosystems in the country are under serious threat and conditions are deteriorating. In 2018-19, the government of Ecuador sponsored a series of workshops to examine the conservation status of Ecuador's freshwater fishes. Concerns were identified for 35 species, most of which are native to the Amazon region, and overfishing of Amazonian pimelodid catfishes emerged as a major issue. However, much of the information needed to make decisions across fish groups and regions was not available, hindering the process and highlighting the need for a review of the conservation threats to Ecuador's freshwater fishes. Here, we review how the physical alteration of rivers, deforestation, wetland and floodplain degradation, agricultural and urban water pollution, mining, oil extraction, dams, overfishing, introduced species and climate change are affecting freshwater fishes in Ecuador. Although many of these factors affect fishes throughout the Neotropics, the lack of data on Ecuadorian fish communities is staggering and highlights the urgent need for more research. We also make recommendations, including the need for proper enforcement of existing environmental laws, restoration of degraded aquatic ecosystems, establishment of a national monitoring system for freshwater ecosystems, investment in research to fill gaps in knowledge, and encouragement of public engagement in citizen science and conservation efforts. Freshwater fishes are an important component of the cultural and biological legacy of the Ecuadorian people. Conserving them for future generations is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Windsor E. Aguirre
- Department of Biological SciencesDePaul UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Instituto Nacional de BiodiversidadQuitoEcuador
- Field Museum of Natural HistoryChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | | | | | | | - Roberto V. Cucalón
- Department of Biological SciencesDePaul UniversityChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Present address:
Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignChampaignIllinoisUSA
| | | | - Iván Jácome‐Negrete
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Estudios Amazónicos e InsularesUniversidad Central del EcuadorQuitoEcuador
| | - Pedro Jiménez Prado
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Sede EsmeraldasEsmeraldasEcuador
- Área de Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior de HuescaUniversidad de ZaragozaHuescaSpain
| | - Enrique Laaz
- Instituto Público de Investigación de Acuicultura y PescaGuayaquilEcuador
| | | | | | - Fredy Nugra Salazar
- ONG Bosque Medicinal, ONG Forest.inkGualaquizaEcuador
- Laboratorio de Limnología de la Universidad del AzuayCuencaEcuador
| | - Willan Revelo
- Unidad de Recursos Demersales Bentónicos de Agua Dulce y EmbalsesInstituto Público de Investigación de Acuicultura y PescaGuayaquilEcuador
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Lopera‐Congote L, Salgado J, Isabel Vélez M, Link A, González‐Arango C. River connectivity and climate behind the long-term evolution of tropical American floodplain lakes. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12970-12988. [PMID: 34646446 PMCID: PMC8495813 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents the long-term evolution of two floodplains lakes (San Juana and Barbacoas) of the Magdalena River in Colombia with varying degree of connectivity to the River and with different responses to climate events (i.e., extreme floods and droughts). Historical limnological changes were identified through a multiproxy-based reconstruction including diatoms, sedimentation, and sediment geochemistry, while historical climatic changes were derived from the application of the Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index. The main gradients in climatic and limnological change were assessed via multivariate analysis and generalized additive models. The reconstruction of the more isolated San Juana Lake spanned the last c. 500 years. Between c. 1,620 and 1,750 CE, riverine-flooded conditions prevailed as indicated by high detrital input, reductive conditions, and dominance of planktonic diatoms. Since the early 1800s, the riverine meander became disconnected, conveying into a marsh-like environment rich in aerophil diatoms and organic matter. The current lake was then formed around the mid-1960s with a diverse lake diatom flora including benthic and planktonic diatoms, and more oxygenated waters under a gradual increase in sedimentation and nutrients. The reconstruction for Barbacoas Lake, a waterbody directly connected to the Magdalena River, spanned the last 60 years and showed alternating riverine-wetland-lake conditions in response to varying ENSO conditions. Wet periods were dominated by planktonic and benthic diatoms, while aerophil diatom species prevailed during dry periods; during the two intense ENSO periods of 1987 and 1992, the lake almost desiccated and sedimentation rates spiked. A gradual increase in sedimentation rates post-2000 suggests that other factors rather than climate are also influencing sediment deposition in the lake. We propose that hydrological connectivity to the Magdalena River is a main factor controlling lake long-term responses to human pressures, where highly connected lakes respond more acutely to ENSO events while isolated lakes are more sensitive to local land-use changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lopera‐Congote
- Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología TropicalUniversidad de los AndesBogotáColombia
| | - Jorge Salgado
- Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología TropicalUniversidad de los AndesBogotáColombia
- Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad Católica de ColombiaBogotáColombia
- School of GeographyNottingham UniversityNottinghamUK
| | | | - Andrés Link
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Bosques Tropicales y PrimatologíaDepartamento de Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad de Los AndesBogotáColombia
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11
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Hu P, Zeng Q, Wang J, Hou J, Wang H, Yang Z, Liu H, Zhao Y. Identification of hotspots of threatened inland fish species and regions for restoration based on longitudinal river connectivity. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 290:112572. [PMID: 33894486 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Dams have reduced longitudinal river connectivity (LRC) worldwide, impairing habitat and migration opportunities for many freshwater fish species. However, national assessments linking LRC and threatened inland fish species distributions are lacking. Here, we show the trends in the LRC in China over the past 60 years, and quantitatively analyse their implications for threatened inland fish species. The average LRC in China decreased from 93.5% in 1960 to 25.1% in 2018, and the significant deterioration in LRC occurred over the last 20 years. Water resource regions with a high number of threatened fish species are concentrated in southern China, and the degree of threat to inland fish species increases with a decreasing average LRC. A total of 125 inland fish species are threatened by habitat degradation and loss, which is mainly caused by the construction of dams. Intrinsic factors and pollution are two other key threats to fish species in addition to the reduction of LRC. The results of this study can help us better understand the trends in LRC in China and their implications for inland fishes. Meanwhile, this study provides guidance for river management to help preserve biological diversity, including enhancing management of natural reserve areas, establishing ecological compensation mechanisms, preventing biological invasion, and monitoring and evaluation of restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Qinghui Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China.
| | - Jianhua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Jiaming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Zefan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Huan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
| | - Yong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Department of Water Resources (DWR), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, PR China
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12
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Abstract
Abstract
Few marine taxa have been comprehensively assessed for their conservation status, despite heavy pressures from fishing, habitat degradation and climate change. Here we report on the first global assessment of extinction risk for 300 species of syngnathiform fishes known as of 2017, using the IUCN Red List criteria. This order of bony teleosts is dominated by seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons (family Syngnathidae). It also includes trumpetfishes (Aulostomidae), shrimpfishes (Centriscidae), cornetfishes (Fistulariidae) and ghost pipefishes (Solenostomidae). At least 6% are threatened, but data suggest a mid-point estimate of 7.9% and an upper bound of 38%. Most of the threatened species are seahorses (Hippocampus spp.: 14/42 species, with an additional 17 that are Data Deficient) or freshwater pipefishes of the genus Microphis (2/18 species, with seven additional that are Data Deficient). Two species are Near Threatened. Nearly one-third of syngnathiformes (97 species) are Data Deficient and could potentially be threatened, requiring further field research and evaluation. Most species (61%) were, however, evaluated as Least Concern. Primary threats to syngnathids are (1) overexploitation, primarily by non-selective fisheries, for which most assessments were determined by criterion A (Hippocampus) and/or (2) habitat loss and degradation, for which assessments were determined by criterion B (Microphis and some Hippocampus). Threatened species occurred in most regions but more are found in East and South-east Asia and in South African estuaries. Vital conservation action for syngnathids, including constraining fisheries, particularly non-selective extraction, and habitat protection and rehabilitation, will benefit many other aquatic species.
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13
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Radinger J, García-Berthou E. The role of connectivity in the interplay between climate change and the spread of alien fish in a large Mediterranean river. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6383-6398. [PMID: 32813898 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how global change and connectivity will jointly modify the distribution of riverine species is crucial for conservation biology and environmental management. However, little is known about the interaction between climate change and fragmentation and how movement barriers might impede native species from adjusting their distributions versus limit the further spread of alien species. In this study, we modelled the current and future distributions of 11 native and five alien fishes in the large and heavily fragmented Ebro River, located within the Mediterranean region, which has many freshwater endemics severely threatened by global change. We considered 10 climate change models and five modelling algorithms and assessed the effects of connectivity on the accessibility of future suitable habitats. Thereby, we identify most conflict-prone river reaches, that is, where barriers pose a particular trade-off between isolating and negatively impacting native species versus potentially reducing the risk of alien species spread. Our results projected upstream habitat shifts for the vast majority of the species. Climate change affected species differently, with alien species generally showing larger habitat gains compared to natives. Most pronounced distributional changes (i.e. losses of native species and gains of alien species) and compositional turnover might be expected in the lower and mid reaches of large tributaries of the Ebro River. The role of anthropogenic barriers in this context is often ambiguous but rather unfavourable, as they not only restrict native fishes but also alter stream habitats and flow conditions. However, with our spatial modelling framework, we could identify specific river reaches where the connectivity trade-off in the context of climate change is particularly relevant. Overall, our findings emphasize the importance of the complex effects that climate change, riverine connectivity and alien species are expected to impose on river communities and the urgent need to adapt management strategies accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Radinger
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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14
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Herrera-R GA, Oberdorff T, Anderson EP, Brosse S, Carvajal-Vallejos FM, Frederico RG, Hidalgo M, Jézéquel C, Maldonado M, Maldonado-Ocampo JA, Ortega H, Radinger J, Torrente-Vilara G, Zuanon J, Tedesco PA. The combined effects of climate change and river fragmentation on the distribution of Andean Amazon fishes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:5509-5523. [PMID: 32785968 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Upstream range shifts of freshwater fishes have been documented in recent years due to ongoing climate change. River fragmentation by dams, presenting physical barriers, can limit the climatically induced spatial redistribution of fishes. Andean freshwater ecosystems in the Neotropical region are expected to be highly affected by these future disturbances. However, proper evaluations are still missing. Combining species distribution models and functional traits of Andean Amazon fishes, coupled with dam locations and climatic projections (2070s), we (a) evaluated the potential impacts of future climate on species ranges, (b) investigated the combined impact of river fragmentation and climate change and (c) tested the relationships between these impacts and species functional traits. Results show that climate change will induce range contraction for most of the Andean Amazon fish species, particularly those inhabiting highlands. Dams are not predicted to greatly limit future range shifts for most species (i.e., the Barrier effect). However, some of these barriers should prevent upstream shifts for a considerable number of species, reducing future potential diversity in some basins. River fragmentation is predicted to act jointly with climate change in promoting a considerable decrease in the probability of species to persist in the long-term because of splitting species ranges in smaller fragments (i.e., the Isolation effect). Benthic and fast-flowing water adapted species with hydrodynamic bodies are significantly associated with severe range contractions from climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido A Herrera-R
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thierry Oberdorff
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Elizabeth P Anderson
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sébastien Brosse
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Fernando M Carvajal-Vallejos
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Renata G Frederico
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Max Hidalgo
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Céline Jézéquel
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Mabel Maldonado
- Unidad de Limnología y Recursos Acuáticos, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Javier A Maldonado-Ocampo
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ictiología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernán Ortega
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Johannes Radinger
- GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jansen Zuanon
- Coordenacão de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Pablo A Tedesco
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
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15
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Salgado J, Vélez MI, González-Arango C, Rose NL, Yang H, Huguet C, Camacho JS, O'Dea A. A century of limnological evolution and interactive threats in the Panama Canal: Long-term assessments from a shallow basin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 729:138444. [PMID: 32380321 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Large tropical river dam projects are expected to accelerate over the forthcoming decades to satisfy growing demand for energy, irrigation and flood control. When tropical rivers are dammed the immediate impacts are relatively well studied, but the long-term (decades-centuries) consequences of impoundment remain poorly known. We combined historical records of water quality, river flow and climate with a multi-proxy (macrofossils, diatoms, biomarkers and trace elements) palaeoecological approach to reconstruct the limnological evolution of a shallow basin in Gatun Lake (Panama Canal, Panama) and assess the effects of multiple linked factors (river damming, forest flooding, deforestation, invasive species, pollution and hydro-climate) on the study area. Results show that a century after dam construction, species invasion, deforestation and salt intrusions have forced a gradual change in the study basin from a swamp-type environment towards a more saline lake-governed system of benthic-littoral production likely associated with the expansion of macrophyte stands. Hydrology still remains the most important long-term (decades) structural factor stimulating salinity intrusions, primary productivity, deposition of minerals, and reduction of water transparency during wet periods. During dry periods, physical-chemical conditions are in turn linked to clear water and aerobic conditions while nutrients shift to available forms for the aquatic biota in the detrital-rich reductive sediments. Our study suggests that to preserve the natural riverine system functioning of this area of the Panama Canal, management activities must address long-term ecosystem structural drivers such as river flow, runoff patterns and physical-chemical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Salgado
- Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología Tropical, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Carrera 1# 18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama; Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Católica de Colombia, Bogotá, Avenida Caracas # 46-72, Colombia.
| | - María I Vélez
- University of Regina, Department of Geology, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Catalina González-Arango
- Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología Tropical, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Carrera 1# 18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Neil L Rose
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Handong Yang
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Carme Huguet
- Departamento de Geociencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Carrera 1#18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan S Camacho
- Departamento de Geociencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Carrera 1#18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Aaron O'Dea
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama; Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Jézéquel C, Tedesco PA, Darwall W, Dias MS, Frederico RG, Hidalgo M, Hugueny B, Maldonado-Ocampo J, Martens K, Ortega H, Torrente-Vilara G, Zuanon J, Oberdorff T. Freshwater fish diversity hotspots for conservation priorities in the Amazon Basin. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2020; 34:956-965. [PMID: 31990088 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Conserving freshwater habitats and their biodiversity in the Amazon Basin is a growing challenge in the face of rapid anthropogenic changes. We used the most comprehensive fish-occurrence database available (2355 valid species; 21,248 sampling points) and 3 ecological criteria (irreplaceability, representativeness, and vulnerability) to identify biodiversity hotspots based on 6 conservation templates (3 proactive, 1 reactive, 1 representative, and 1 balanced) to provide a set of alternative planning solutions for freshwater fish protection in the Amazon Basin. We identified empirically for each template the 17% of sub-basins that should be conserved and performed a prioritization analysis by identifying current and future (2050) threats (i.e., degree of deforestation and habitat fragmentation by dams). Two of our 3 proactive templates had around 65% of their surface covered by protected areas; high levels of irreplaceability (60% of endemics) and representativeness (71% of the Amazonian fish fauna); and low current and future vulnerability. These 2 templates, then, seemed more robust for conservation prioritization. The future of the selected sub-basins in these 2 proactive templates is not immediately threatened by human activities, and these sub-basins host the largest part of Amazonian biodiversity. They could easily be conserved if no additional threats occur between now and 2050.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Jézéquel
- UMR EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), CNRS 5174, IRD253, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Pablo A Tedesco
- UMR EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), CNRS 5174, IRD253, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - William Darwall
- Freshwater Biodiversity Unit, IUCN Global Species Programme, Pembroke Street, CB2 3QZ, Cambridge, U.K
| | - Murilo S Dias
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasilia, DF, Brazil
| | - Renata G Frederico
- Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Rua Augusto Correia, Guamá, 66075110, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Max Hidalgo
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Avenida Arenales 1256, Jesús María 15072, 14, Lima, Peru
| | - Bernard Hugueny
- UMR EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), CNRS 5174, IRD253, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
| | - Javier Maldonado-Ocampo
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ictiología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 40-62, 110231, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Koen Martens
- Department of Freshwater Biology, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, B-1000, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Uiversity of Ghent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Hernan Ortega
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Avenida Arenales 1256, Jesús María 15072, 14, Lima, Peru
| | - Gislene Torrente-Vilara
- Departamento de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista. Rua Doutor Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, Encruzilhada, 11015-020, Santos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jansen Zuanon
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Avenida André Araújo, 69067-375, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Thierry Oberdorff
- UMR EDB (Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique), CNRS 5174, IRD253, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062, Toulouse, France
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17
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Impacts of current and future large dams on the geographic range connectivity of freshwater fish worldwide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3648-3655. [PMID: 32015125 PMCID: PMC7035475 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1912776117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Freshwater fish are highly threatened by dams that disrupt the longitudinal connectivity of rivers and may consequently impede fish movements to feeding and spawning grounds. In a comprehensive global analysis covering ∼10,000 freshwater fish species and ∼40,000 existing large dams we identified the most disconnected geographical ranges for species in the United States, Europe, South Africa, India, and China. The completion of near-future plans for ∼3,700 large hydropower dams will greatly increase habitat fragmentation in (sub)tropical river basins, where many livelihoods depend on inland fisheries. Our assessment can support infrastructure planning on multiple scales and assist in setting conservation priorities for species and basins at risk. Dams contribute to water security, energy supply, and flood protection but also fragment habitats of freshwater species. Yet, a global species-level assessment of dam-induced fragmentation is lacking. Here, we assessed the degree of fragmentation of the occurrence ranges of ∼10,000 lotic fish species worldwide due to ∼40,000 existing large dams and ∼3,700 additional future large hydropower dams. Per river basin, we quantified a connectivity index (CI) for each fish species by combining its occurrence range with a high-resolution hydrography and the locations of the dams. Ranges of nondiadromous fish species were more fragmented (less connected) (CI = 73 ± 28%; mean ± SD) than ranges of diadromous species (CI = 86 ± 19%). Current levels of fragmentation were highest in the United States, Europe, South Africa, India, and China. Increases in fragmentation due to future dams were especially high in the tropics, with declines in CI of ∼20 to 40 percentage points on average across the species in the Amazon, Niger, Congo, Salween, and Mekong basins. Our assessment can guide river management at multiple scales and in various domains, including strategic hydropower planning, identification of species and basins at risk, and prioritization of restoration measures, such as dam removal and construction of fish bypasses.
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18
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Drainage network position and historical connectivity explain global patterns in freshwater fishes' range size. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:13434-13439. [PMID: 31209040 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902484116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the drivers and processes that determine globally the geographic range size of species is crucial to understanding the geographic distribution of biodiversity and further predicting the response of species to current global changes. However, these drivers and processes are still poorly understood, and no ecological explanation has emerged yet as preponderant in explaining the extent of species' geographical range. Here, we identify the main drivers of the geographic range size variation in freshwater fishes at global and biogeographic scales and determine how these drivers affect range size both directly and indirectly. We tested the main hypotheses already proposed to explain range size variation, using geographic ranges of 8,147 strictly freshwater fish species (i.e., 63% of all known species). We found that, contrary to terrestrial organisms, for which climate and topography seem preponderant in determining species' range size, the geographic range sizes of freshwater fishes are mostly explained by the species' position within the river network, and by the historical connection among river basins during Quaternary low-sea-level periods. Large-ranged fish species inhabit preferentially lowland areas of river basins, where hydrological connectivity is the highest, and also are found in river basins that were historically connected. The disproportionately high explanatory power of these two drivers suggests that connectivity is the key component of riverine fish geographic range sizes, independent of any other potential driver, and indicates that the accelerated rates in river fragmentation might strongly affect fish species distribution and freshwater biodiversity.
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19
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Januchowski-Hartley SR, Jézéquel C, Tedesco PA. Modelling built infrastructure heights to evaluate common assumptions in aquatic conservation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 232:131-137. [PMID: 30471546 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Built infrastructure, such as dams and weirs, are some of the most impactful stressors affecting aquatic ecosystems. However, data on the distribution and characteristics of small built infrastructure that often restrict fish movement, impede flows, and retain sediments and materials, remain limited. Collection of this necessary information is challenged by the large number of built infrastructure with unknown dimensions (e.g., height), which means scientists and practitioners need to make assumptions about these characteristics in research and decision-making. Evaluating these common assumptions is essential for advancing conservation that is more effective. We use a statistical modelling approach to double the number of small (≤5 m high) built infrastructure with height values in France. Using two scenarios depicting common assumptions (all infrastructure without height data are impassable, or all are passable for all species) and one based on our modelled heights, we demonstrate how assumptions can influence our understanding of river fragmentation. Assuming all built infrastructure without height data are passable results in a 5-fold reduction in estimated river fragmentation for fish species that cannot pass built infrastructure ≥1.0 m. The opposite is true for fish species that cannot pass ≥2.0 m, where assuming all built infrastructure without height data are impassable results in a 7-fold increase in fragmentation compared to the scenario with modelled heights to attribute built infrastructure passability. Our findings suggest that modelled height data leads to better understanding of river fragmentation, and that knowledge of different fish species' abilities to pass a variety of built infrastructure is essential to guide more effective management strategies. Our modelling approach, and results, are of particular relevance to regions where efforts to both remediate and remove built infrastructure is occurring, but where gaps in data on characteristics of built infrastructure remain, and limit effective decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie R Januchowski-Hartley
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK; Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bat 4R1, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
| | - Céline Jézéquel
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bat 4R1, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Pablo A Tedesco
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bat 4R1, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
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20
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Anderson EP, Jenkins CN, Heilpern S, Maldonado-Ocampo JA, Carvajal-Vallejos FM, Encalada AC, Rivadeneira JF, Hidalgo M, Cañas CM, Ortega H, Salcedo N, Maldonado M, Tedesco PA. Fragmentation of Andes-to-Amazon connectivity by hydropower dams. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaao1642. [PMID: 29399629 PMCID: PMC5792221 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Andes-to-Amazon river connectivity controls numerous natural and human systems in the greater Amazon. However, it is being rapidly altered by a wave of new hydropower development, the impacts of which have been previously underestimated. We document 142 dams existing or under construction and 160 proposed dams for rivers draining the Andean headwaters of the Amazon. Existing dams have fragmented the tributary networks of six of eight major Andean Amazon river basins. Proposed dams could result in significant losses in river connectivity in river mainstems of five of eight major systems-the Napo, Marañón, Ucayali, Beni, and Mamoré. With a newly reported 671 freshwater fish species inhabiting the Andean headwaters of the Amazon (>500 m), dams threaten previously unrecognized biodiversity, particularly among endemic and migratory species. Because Andean rivers contribute most of the sediment in the mainstem Amazon, losses in river connectivity translate to drastic alteration of river channel and floodplain geomorphology and associated ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth P. Anderson
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute for Water and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Clinton N. Jenkins
- IPÊ—Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo 12960, Brazil
- SavingSpecies Inc., Holly Springs, NC 27540, USA
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Sebastian Heilpern
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Javier A. Maldonado-Ocampo
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ictiología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Andrea C. Encalada
- Instituto BIOSFERA, Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
- IMAR/MARE, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Max Hidalgo
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural–Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Carlos M. Cañas
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Av. Roosevelt 6360, Miraflores, Lima, Peru
| | - Hernan Ortega
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural–Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Norma Salcedo
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural–Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
- Department of Biology, Francis Marion University, Florence, SC 29506, USA
| | - Mabel Maldonado
- Unidad de Limnología y Recursos Acuáticos, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Pablo A. Tedesco
- UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique), CNRS, IRD, UPS, ENSFEA, Université Paul Sabatier, F-31062 Toulouse, France
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