Trophic ecology of the ichthyofauna of two headwater streams, Tietê River basin, Jaú, SP

• Grant number: 12/02116-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal researcher: Virginia Sanches Uieda
• Grantee: André Hellmeister Burgos
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Studies of fish diet in Brazilian Rivers are important for the determination of the trophic structure of the ecosystem and for studies at species level, including biology and trophic niche. The ichthyofauna of two headwater streams, of Tietê River basin and located in a farm at Jaú municipality, São Paulo state, will be studied. The objective of the study is the analysis of the species composition and diet in function of spatial and seasonal variations of the stream structure. The fish will be sampled in March (wet season) and July (dry season) 2012 in a stretch of 100 meters and using a gill net. The fish will be identified and measured, and the gut contents will be analysed. For the trophic organization analysis it will be considered the data sampled in 2012 and previously in 2010/2011, including in this way data of two sampling dry periods and two sampling wet periods. The comparative analysis of resource partitioning between the fish species will be represented by diagrams constructed with the fish species, consumed items, and trophic links, for each stream and season.