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Daga VS, Azevedo-Santos VM, Pelicice FM, Fearnside PM, Perbiche-Neves G, Paschoal LRP, Cavallari DC, Erickson J, Ruocco AMC, Oliveira I, Padial AA, Vitule JRS. Water diversion in Brazil threatens biodiversity. AMBIO 2020; 49:165-172. [PMID: 31030418 PMCID: PMC6888777 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01189-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Construction of water diversions is a common response to the increasing demands for freshwater, often resulting in benefits to communities but with the risk of multiple environmental, economic, and social impacts. Water-diversion projects can favor massive introductions and accelerate biotic homogenization. This study provides empirical evidence on the consequences of a proposed law intended to divert water from two large and historically isolated river basins in Brazil: Tocantins to São Francisco. Compositional similarity (CS) and β-diversity were quantified encompassing aquatic organisms: mollusks, zooplankton, crustaceans, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and plants. For CS we (i) considered only native species, and (ii) simulated the introduction of non-natives and assumed the extinction of threatened species due to this water-diversion project. We highlight the environmental risks of such large-scale projects, which are expected to cause impacts on biodiversity linked to bioinvasion and homogenization, and we recommend alternatives in order to solve water-demand conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa S. Daga
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LEC), Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Setor de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81531-970 Brazil
| | - Valter M. Azevedo-Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-970 Brazil
| | - Fernando M. Pelicice
- Núcleo de Estudos Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Tocantins, Porto Nacional, Tocantins 77500-000 Brazil
| | - Philip M. Fearnside
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Amazonas 69067-375 Brazil
| | - Gilmar Perbiche-Neves
- Departamento de Hidrobiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo 13565-905 Brazil
| | - Lucas R. P. Paschoal
- Laboratório de Hidrobiologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Passos, Minas Gerais 37900-106 Brazil
| | - Daniel C. Cavallari
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-901 Brazil
| | - José Erickson
- Laboratório de Genética e Evolução Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29075-910 Brazil
| | - Ana M. C. Ruocco
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Botucatu, São Paulo 18618-970 Brazil
| | - Igor Oliveira
- Laboratório de Etnociências, Centro de Educação e Letras, Universidade Federal do Acre, Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre 69980-000 Brazil
| | - André A. Padial
- Laboratório de Análise e Síntese em Biodiversidade, Departamento de Botânica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81531-970 Brazil
| | - Jean R. S. Vitule
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LEC), Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Setor de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81531-970 Brazil
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Fenoglio S, Bonada N, Guareschi S, López-Rodríguez MJ, Millán A, Tierno de Figueroa JM. Freshwater ecosystems and aquatic insects: a paradox in biological invasions. Biol Lett 2016; 12:20151075. [PMID: 27072403 PMCID: PMC4881343 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.1075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological invasions have increased significantly in response to global change and constitute one of the major causes of biodiversity loss. Insects make up a large fraction of invasive species, in general, and freshwaters are among the most invaded ecosystems on our planet. However, even though aquatic insects dominate most inland waters, have unparalleled taxonomic diversity and occupy nearly all trophic niches, there are almost no invasive insects in freshwaters. We present some hypotheses regarding why aquatic insects are not common among aquatic invasive organisms, suggesting that it may be the result of a suite of biological, ecological and anthropogenic factors. Such specific knowledge introduces a paradox in the current scientific discussion on invasive species; therefore, a more in-depth understanding could be an invaluable aid to disentangling how and why biological invasions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Fenoglio
- Department of Science and Technological Innovation, University of Piemonte Orientale, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
| | - Núria Bonada
- Departament d'Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Simone Guareschi
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Andrés Millán
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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