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Fuentes-Pérez JF, García-Vega A, Martínez de Azagra Paredes A, Sanz-Ronda FJ. A step forward in fishway engineering: Validation and implementation of advanced algorithms for effective stepped fishway design, modeling, and retrofitting. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25996. [PMID: 38380032 PMCID: PMC10877356 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Stepped fishways are the main alternative to allow fish migration in river obstacles. Their design is a multidisciplinary process, where civil engineering meets biology. This can bias the fishway design towards one discipline, which may cause low efficiencies or inadequate solutions. Likewise, it is often challenging to incorporate new discoveries into well-established design principles. To solve these problems, we have developed a novel tool named "Escalas". Escalas is a multipurpose platform for the assisted design, 1D simulation, assessment, and correction of stepped fishways. Escalas architecture allows fishway assessment during different hydraulic scenarios in the river (i.e., different water levels and discharges in the river), automatic dimensioning considering fish's physical needs, the study of any type of stepped fishway, to test solutions for malfunctioning or to assess fishway retrofitting. This is achieved by a modular variable definition during fishway design or definition, which allows multiple combinations of connections within and/or between cross-walls and independent discharge equation definition. This work aims to introduce Escalas to the research and engineering community, describe its algorithms, and show and validate its performance by its use in real and practical cases. Among others, results demonstrate how the tool can reproduce uniform and non-uniform performances on stepped fishways and allows fishway retrofitting to make hydraulic conditions compatible with fish usage during different river scenarios. Therefore, this work represents a step forward in the fishway engineering discipline by applying methods of engineering informatics and providing a technical and scientific base to make engineering decision-making more reliable and accessible as well as to incorporate new advances in fishway research into the engineering design process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Francisco Fuentes-Pérez
- Group of Applied Ecohydraulics, Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute. University of Valladolid, ETSIIAA, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004, Palencia, Spain
| | - Ana García-Vega
- Group of Applied Ecohydraulics, Centro Tecnológico Agrario y Agroalimentario – ITAGRA.CT, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004, Palencia, Spain
| | - Andrés Martínez de Azagra Paredes
- Group of Applied Ecohydraulics, Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering. University of Valladolid, ETSIIAA, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004, Palencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Sanz-Ronda
- Group of Applied Ecohydraulics, Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute. University of Valladolid, ETSIIAA, Avenida de Madrid 44, 34004, Palencia, Spain
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Branco P, Mascarenhas AM, Duarte G, Romão F, Quaresma A, Amaral SD, Ferreira MT, Pinheiro AN, Santos JM. Vertical Slot Fishways: Incremental Knowledge to Define the Best Solution. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12:1431. [PMID: 37998030 PMCID: PMC10669019 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
River artificial fragmentation is arguably the most imperilling threat for freshwater-dependent fish species. Fish need to be able to freely move along river networks as not only spawning grounds but also refuge and feeding areas may be spatially and temporally separated. This incapacity of free displacement may result in genetic depletion of some populations, density reduction and even community changes, which may in turn affect how meta-community balances are regulated, potentially resulting in functional resilience reduction and ecosystem processes' malfunction. Fishways are the most common and widely used method to improve connectivity for fish species. These structures allow fish to negotiate full barriers, thus reducing their connectivity impairment. Among all technical fishway types, vertical slot fishways (VSF) are considered to be the best solution, as they remain operational even with fluctuating water discharges and allow fish to negotiate each cross-wall at their desired depth. In the present study, we collected both published and original data on fish experiments within VSF, to address two questions, (1) What variables affect fish passage during experimental fishway studies? and (2) What is the best VSF configuration? We used Bayesian Generalized Mixed Models accounting for random effects of non-controlled factors, limiting inherent data dependencies, that may influence the model outcome. Results highlight that fish size, regardless of the species, is a good predictor of fishway negotiation success. Generally, multiple slot fishways with one orifice proved to be the best solution. Future work should be focused on small-sized fish to further improve the design of holistic fishways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Branco
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Ana Margarida Mascarenhas
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Gonçalo Duarte
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Filipe Romão
- Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal; (F.R.); (A.Q.); (A.N.P.)
| | - Ana Quaresma
- Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal; (F.R.); (A.Q.); (A.N.P.)
| | - Susana Dias Amaral
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Maria Teresa Ferreira
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
| | - António N. Pinheiro
- Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal; (F.R.); (A.Q.); (A.N.P.)
| | - José Maria Santos
- Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal; (A.M.M.); (G.D.); (S.D.A.); (M.T.F.); (J.M.S.)
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Leite T, Branco P, Ferreira MT, Santos JM. Activity, boldness and schooling in freshwater fish are affected by river salinization. Sci Total Environ 2022; 819:153046. [PMID: 35032527 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are experiencing increasing anthropogenic pressures and salinity has shown to affect freshwater fish behaviour, potentially disrupting ecological processes. In this study, the aim was to determine the sub-lethal effects of salinization on freshwater fish behaviour, using a widespread native cyprinid species, the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) as the model species. Behavioural trials in a mesocosms setting were performed to assess the effects of three levels of a salinity gradient - control (no salt added to the water, 0.8 mS/cm), low (9 mS/cm), and high concentration (18 mS/cm) - on fish routine activity, shoal cohesion and boldness. Upon increasing the salinity levels in the flume-channels, fish showed a significant reduction on their i) swimming activity (76% of searching behaviour in the control vs. 57% in high salinity), and ii) shoal cohesion (0.95 shoal cohesion ratio in the control vs. 0.76 in high salinity), while iii) an increase of bolder individuals, measured by a higher number of attempts to escape the altered environment (106 total jumps in the control vs. 262 in high salinity), was simultaneously observed. Behavioural changes in fish can reflect shifts in ecological condition. Thus, the behavioural responses of fish caused by salinization stress should be further researched, in addition to the interaction with other environmental stressors, in order to understand the true scope of the consequences of salinization for fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leite
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Paulo Branco
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Maria Teresa Ferreira
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - José Maria Santos
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Ahmadi M, Ghaderi A, Mohammadnezhad H, Kuriqi A, Di Francesco S. Numerical Investigation of Hydraulics in a Vertical Slot Fishway with Upgraded Configurations. Water 2021; 13:2711. [DOI: 10.3390/w13192711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The implementation of vertical slot fishway (VSF) has been demonstrated to be an effective mitigation measure to alleviate extensive river fragmentation by artificial hydraulic structures such as weirs and dams. However, non-suitable flow velocity and turbulent kinetic energy significantly affect fish swimming behavior and, as a result, hinder such facilities’ performance. Therefore, this study’s main objective is to propose a new configuration of VSF that can allow the passage of different fish species under frequent variations of flow discharge. To achieve that objective several novel configurations of VSF were numerically investigated using the FLOW-3D® model. Namely, five variants of angles between baffles, four different pool widths, and another upgraded version of VSF by introducing cylindrical elements positioned after the opening behind the baffles were tested. Results show that smaller angles between baffles increase the Vmax and decrease the maximum turbulent kinetic energy (TKEmax); the opposite result was obtained when increasing angles between baffles. Namely, the Vmax was increased up to 17.9% for α = 0° and decreased up to 20.37% for α = 37°; in contrast, TKEmax decreased up to −20% for α = 0° and increased up to 26.5% for α = 37°. Narrowing the pool width increased the Vmax linearly; nevertheless, it did not significantly affect the TKEmax as the maximum difference was only +3.5%. Using cylinders with a large diameter decreased the Vmax and increased TKEmax; in contrast, using cylinders with smaller diameters further reduced the Vmax velocity inside the pool while increasing the TKEmax. However, in the case of cylinders, the dimension of the recirculation depended on the configuration and arrangement of the cylinder within the pool. Overall, the maximum velocity was reached at near 77% of the water depth in all cases. Finally, solution-oriented findings resulted from this study would help water engineers to design cost-effective VSF fishways to support the sustainable development of hydraulic structures while preserving aquatic biodiversity.
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Baladrón A, Costa MJ, Bejarano MD, Pinheiro A, Boavida I. Can vegetation provide shelter to cyprinid species under hydropeaking? Sci Total Environ 2021; 769:145339. [PMID: 33736267 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A novel study that focuses on the capacity of vegetation to provide shelter for fish species under hydropeaking regimes is presented. Two artificial patches mimicking the structure and density of Carex sp. mats were installed in an experimental flume to test whether submerged plants can offer flow refuge to two cyprinid species, Luciobarbus bocagei and Pseudochondrostoma polylepis, under baseflow and hydropeaking scenarios. Local flow fields were characterized using a Lateral Line Probe (LLP) and an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) and 33 h of video analysis were viewed to report, on a per-second basis, fish use of 1) patches with plants, 2) patches upstream and 3) downstream from vegetation and 4) patches without vegetation. Data on flow fields and fish patch use were integrated and analyzed to assess whether plants favored fish sheltering behavior. Vegetation created hydraulically stable areas suitable for fish to shelter, triggering changes in fish patch use. Although both species sheltered under hydropeaking, L. bocagei presented a stronger preference than P. polylepis for vegetated patches and areas downstream from plants, taking advantage of sheltered regions more frequently. P. polylepis weaker search for shelter could be related to species-specific factors and territorial behavior interferences rather than to fish performance relative to flume hydraulic conditions. Despite a weaker response, some P. polylepis individuals used patches downstream from plants more during the second half of the hydropeaking trials. A trade-off between reducing swimming effort and territoriality might explain this response. Results indicate that vegetation can help to counterbalance the impact of hydropeaking on fish while providing river functioning benefits. Evaluating fish sheltering to a wide set of river plants and patch designs on a species-by-species basis would help targeting vegetation-based actions for restoring hydropeaking rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Baladrón
- CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Maria João Costa
- CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - María Dolores Bejarano
- Natural Resources Department, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Calle José Antonio Novais, 10, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - António Pinheiro
- CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Boavida
- CERIS, Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
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Jones PE, Champneys T, Vevers J, Börger L, Svendsen JC, Consuegra S, Jones J, Garcia de Leaniz C. Selective effects of small barriers on river‐resident fish. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter E. Jones
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Toby Champneys
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Jessica Vevers
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Luca Börger
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Jon C. Svendsen
- National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU‐Aqua)Technical University of Denmark Lyngby Denmark
| | - Sofia Consuegra
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Joshua Jones
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Carlos Garcia de Leaniz
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Department of Biosciences College of Science Swansea University Swansea UK
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Abstract
In this study, the 3D numerical modelling of flow in a pool-type fishway with bottom orifices was performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software (FLOW-3D®). Numerical results were compared with experimental data obtained from acoustic Doppler velocimetry (ADV) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements. Several hydrodynamic variables that influence fishways efficiencies, such as flow depths, flow patterns, water velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, Reynolds normal stresses, and Reynolds shear stress parallel to the bottom component, were qualitatively and quantitatively compared. The numerical model accurately reproduced the complex flow field, showing an overall good agreement between the numerical model predictions and the experimental data for the analysed variables. The importance of performing a numerical model validation for all the parameters under analyses was highlighted. Additionally, scaling effects were analysed by running an upscaled numerical model of the prototype fishway. The model performed with similar accuracy for both physical model and prototype dimensions with no evidence of scale effects. The present study concludes that CFD models (namely FLOW-3D®) may be used as an adequate and efficient design and analysis tool for new pool-type fishways geometries, reducing and complementing physical model testing.
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Romão F, Quaresma AL, Santos JM, Amaral SD, Branco P, Pinheiro AN. Multislot Fishway Improves Entrance Performance and Fish Transit Time over Vertical Slots. Water 2021; 13:275. [DOI: 10.3390/w13030275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pool-type fishways have been increasingly tested to improve fish passage performance and minimize migration delays. Designing cost-effective fishways is essential for a trade-off between water uses and successful longitudinal connectivity restoration. The multislot fishway (MSF) concept, which operates with 30–50% lower discharge than a vertical slot fishway (VSF), was recently developed. This study assessed and compared the entrance performance (entrance time; entry efficiency) and transit times of two cyprinids for VSFs and MSFs. Four configurations, with the same structural characteristics (slope; water depth; head drop; pool width and depth), operating with different discharges (Q), were tested (VSF 1: Q = 112 L·s−1; VSF 2: Q = 80 L·s−1; MSF 1: Q = 58 L·s−1; MSF 2: Q = 37 L·s−1). Hydrodynamics characterization was performed using a numerical model. Results showed that entry efficiency was higher in MSFs than in VSFs, while entrance time and transit time were overall lower. Numerical modelling revealed that velocities were around 30% lower in MSFs, and turbulence could reach a difference of around 70% in Reynolds shear stress and 50% in turbulent kinetic energy. Overall, MSFs can be considered as a cost-effective fishway solution that can balance the trade-offs between divergent interests in water uses.
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Silva AT, Bermúdez M, Santos JM, Rabuñal JR, Puertas J. Pool-Type Fishway Design for a Potamodromous Cyprinid in the Iberian Peninsula: The Iberian Barbel—Synthesis and Future Directions. Sustainability 2020; 12:3387. [DOI: 10.3390/su12083387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) is one of the most common cyprinids in the Iberian Peninsula, whose migratory routes are often hampered by anthropogenic barriers. Fishways might be an effective mitigation measure if they integrate designed operational characteristics that account for the biomechanical requirements of this species. Understanding the flow conditions inside the fishway, and how barbel responds to the hydrodynamics of the flow is imperative to improve free migratory routes with minimum energetic cost associated. Herein, we analyze and synthesize the main findings of research on pool-type fishways for upstream passage of the Iberian barbel and derive recommendations of design criteria for pool-type fishways for this species and others of similar biomechanics capacities. Ultimately, we identify research needs to improve upstream passage of this species.
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Hayes DS, Branco P, Santos JM, Ferreira T. Oxygen Depletion Affects Kinematics and Shoaling Cohesion of Cyprinid Fish. Water 2019; 11:642. [DOI: 10.3390/w11040642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Numerous anthropogenic stressors impact rivers worldwide. Hypoxia, resulting from organic waste releases and eutrophication, occurs very commonly in Mediterranean rivers. Nonetheless, little is known about the effects of deoxygenation on the behavior of Mediterranean freshwater fish. To fill this knowledge gap, we assessed the impact of three different dissolved oxygen levels (normoxia, 48.4%, 16.5% saturation) on kinematics indicators (swimming velocity, acceleration, distance traveled) and shoaling cohesion of adult Iberian barbel, Luciobarbus bocagei, a widespread cyprinid species inhabiting a broad range of lotic and lentic habitats. We conducted flume experiments and video-tracked individual swimming movements of shoals of five fish. Our results reveal significant differences between the treatments regarding kinematics. Swimming velocity, acceleration, and total distance traveled decreased stepwise from the control to each of the two oxygen depletion treatments, whereby the difference between the control and both depletion levels was significant, respectively, but not between the depletion levels themselves. Shoaling cohesion showed dissimilarities between the treatments regarding the maximum distance between fish, as the high depletion treatment differed from each of the other two, indicating that under severe oxygen depletion some individuals move away from the shoal. Overall, our results show how oxygen depletion changes fish behavior, which may entail ecological responses, highlighting the need to maintain an unfragmented river network to ensure movement dispersal among habitats, thus providing conditions for species escapement from hypoxia.
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Leite T, Santos JM, Ferreira MT, Canhoto C, Branco P. Does short-term salinization of freshwater alter the behaviour of the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei, Steindachner 1864)? Sci Total Environ 2019; 651:648-655. [PMID: 30245421 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Stream salinization is a great environmental hazard being aggravated by anthropogenic disturbances. Harmful conditions, as increasing salinity in freshwater systems, may negatively affect river fish fauna and possibly influence fish behaviour, such as boldness and/or cerebral lateralization. Salinity has been proven to affect behavioural expression, despite the tolerance of some species. It is thus relevant to study these behaviours, as the salinity exposure effects could represent greater environmental consequences. The impact of salinity stress was evaluated by exposing Iberian barbels, Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), to three levels of salinity (0.9, 9 and 19 mS/cm, using NaCl) and by conducting boldness and lateralization experiments, regarding population trends. Results show that, with increased salinity, fish diverged to the extremes of the shy-bold gradient, the population was slightly lateralized to the left, and seemed to become more lateralized with increasing salinity. However, there were no statistical differences between the treatments. Fish living in a Mediterranean climate are especially resilient to various stressors, which may confer them additional tolerance, and in this case, acute punctual exposure to increased salinity may not be detrimental for behaviour maintenance. We encourage the expansion of the research to different freshwater fish species that would help to recognise salinity thresholds and use them to implement effective conservation measures and appropriate ecological restoration actions for these sensible systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leite
- Centre of Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Maria Santos
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) - School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Maria Teresa Ferreira
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) - School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Cristina Canhoto
- Centre of Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Paulo Branco
- Forest Research Centre (CEF) - School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Costa MJ, Fuentes-Pérez JF, Boavida I, Tuhtan JA, Pinheiro AN. Fish under pressure: Examining behavioural responses of Iberian barbel under simulated hydropeaking with instream structures. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211115. [PMID: 30673767 PMCID: PMC6343894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydropeaking is the rapid change in the water flow downstream of a hydropower plant, driven by changes in daily electricity demand. These fluctuations may produce negative effects in freshwater fish. To minimize these impacts, previous studies have proposed habitat enhancement structures as potential mitigation measures for salmonids. However, the recommendation of these mitigation measures for cyprinids remains scarce and their effects unknown. In this study, the effects of potential habitat mitigation structures under simulated hydropeaking and base-flow conditions are examined for Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) in an indoor flume. Solid triangular pyramids and v-shaped structures were evaluated as potential flow-refuging areas and compared with a configuration without structures. A novel, interdisciplinary approach is applied to investigate individual and group responses to rapidly changing flows, by assessing physiological (glucose and lactate), movement behaviour (structure use, sprints and drifts) and the pressure distribution using a fish-inspired artificial lateral line flow sensor. The major findings of this study are four-fold: 1) Under hydropeaking conditions, the v-shaped structures triggered a lactate response and stimulated individual structure use, whereas solid structures did not elicit physiological adjustments and favoured individual and group structure use. Overall, both solid structures and their absence stimulated sprints and drifts. 2) The hydrodynamic conditions created in hydropeaking did not always reflect increased physiological responses or swimming activity. 3) Each event-structure combination resulted in unique hydrodynamic conditions which were reflected in the different fish responses. 4) The most relevant flow variable measured was the pressure asymmetry, which is caused by the vortex size and shedding frequency of the structures. Considering the non-uniform nature of hydropeaking events, and the observation that the fish responded differently to specific flow event-structure combinations, a diverse set of instream structures should be considered for habitat-based hydropeaking mitigation measures for Iberian barbel.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Costa
- Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | | | - I. Boavida
- Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J. A. Tuhtan
- Centre for Biorobotics, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - A. N. Pinheiro
- Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Johnson K, Wait L, Monk S, Rader R, Hotchkiss R, Belk M. Effects of Substrate on Movement Patterns and Behavior of Stream Fish through Culverts: An Experimental Approach. Sustainability 2019; 11:470. [DOI: 10.3390/su11020470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Culverts can provide a significant barrier to fish passage by fragmenting fish habitats and impeding the passage success of small-bodied fish. Geographical connectivity is critical to the maintenance of diverse fish assemblages. Culverts with high cross-sectional velocity can cause population fragmentation by impeding passage of small, freshwater fish. Behavioral responses of small fish to high velocities can differ among functional groups, and swimming behavior of many species is not well known. We tested effects of substrate type on swimming behavior in two small, freshwater fish species—southern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda aliciae, a midwater species), and longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae, a benthic species)—across three substrate treatments: (1) a bare flume, (2) large flow obstacles, and (3) a natural cobble substrate. Both longnose dace and southern leatherside chub used paths of low velocity and swam in the near-substrate boundary area. Fish in the bare flume and large obstacle treatments swam along the corners of the flume in a straight swim path, whereas fish in the natural substrate treatment used all parts of the flume bed. There was no relationship between passage success of fish and substrate type, fish species, or their interaction. In contrast, substrate type, fish species, and their interaction were significant predictors of passage time. Southern leatherside chub passed through the test section about two to four times faster than longnose dace. Both species took longer to pass through the large flow obstacle treatment compared to the bare flume or natural substrate. The natural substrate created a complex velocity profile with areas of low velocity throughout the entire flume, in contrast to the other two treatments. Our data suggest natural substrates can improve the passage of small fish in high-velocity culverts for both benthic and midwater functional groups.
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Pena L, Puertas J, Bermúdez M, Cea L, Peña E. Conversion of Vertical Slot Fishways to Deep Slot Fishways to Maintain Operation during Low Flows: Implications for Hydrodynamics. Sustainability 2018; 10:2406. [DOI: 10.3390/su10072406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Romão F, Santos J, Katopodis C, Pinheiro A, Branco P. How Does Season Affect Passage Performance and Fatigue of Potamodromous Cyprinids? An Experimental Approach in a Vertical Slot Fishway. Water 2018; 10:395. [DOI: 10.3390/w10040395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Branco P, Amaral SD, Ferreira MT, Santos JM. Do small barriers affect the movement of freshwater fish by increasing residency? Sci Total Environ 2017; 581-582:486-494. [PMID: 28082054 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
River fragmentation due to artificial barriers directly impacts fish communities by limiting migratory movements. This work aims to understand how small barriers affect the movements of a potamodromous cyprinid species - the Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864)) - in a 5.6km upstream segment of a stream impacted only by the presence of physical barriers. Fish were marked with Visible Implant Elastomer tags (VIE), and barriers were seasonally characterized. A total of 683 fish were tagged, with 104 recaptures, during five sampling seasons (spring 2012 - early summer 2013). Eleven of the recaptured fish moved past a barrier, without any preference in terms of direction of movement. There were no differences in length, either between migrants and residents, or between upstream and downstream migrants. The results show that although barbel are able to negotiate small barriers, part of the population did not move between fragmented reaches - an indication that under such conditions, fish species populations may adjust their life-history strategy to augment residency as it was hypothesized from the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Branco
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; CEris - Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Susana D Amaral
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria T Ferreira
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - José M Santos
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Branco P, Santos JM, Amaral S, Romão F, Pinheiro AN, Ferreira MT. Potamodromous fish movements under multiple stressors: Connectivity reduction and oxygen depletion. Sci Total Environ 2016; 572:520-525. [PMID: 27552130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.08.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are impacted by multiple stressors that can interact to create synergistic, additive or antagonistic effects, but experimental studies on fish encompassing more than one stressor are seldom found. Thus, there is the need to study stressors through multifactorial approaches that analyse the impact of fish exposure to multiple stressors and evaluate fish sensitivity to stressor combinations. Some of the most common impacts to Mediterranean rivers are of two natures: i) water abstraction and ii) diffuse pollution. Therefore, the present study aims at studying the responses of potamodromous fish facing combinations of: 1) a primary stressor (two levels of connectivity reduction due to water scarcity), and 2) a secondary stressor (three levels of oxygen depletion due to increase organic load - of anthropogenic nature). Schools of five wild fish from a cyprinid species (Luciobarbus bocagei) were placed in a flume, equipped with see-through sidewalls to allow for behavioural analysis, and subjected to different combinations of the stressors. Results show that at the unconnected level the primary stressor (lack of connectivity) overrode the effect of the secondary stressor (oxygen depletion), but when connectivity existed oxygen depletion caused a reduction of fish movements with decreasing oxygen concentrations. This multifactorial study contributes to improved prediction of fish responses upon actual or projected pressure scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Branco
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; CERIS - Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - José M Santos
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Susana Amaral
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; CERIS - Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Filipe Romão
- CERIS - Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António N Pinheiro
- CERIS - Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria T Ferreira
- CEF - Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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