Efficiency assessment of ichthyofauna management and conservation measures in a river dammed by small hydropower plants

• Grant number: 19/24548-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Inland Water Fishery Resources
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Porto-Foresti
• Grantee: Eduardo Meneguzzi Brambilla
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fish passages and fish stocking of native species are alternatives to mitigate the impacts that Small Hydroelectric Power plant (SHPs) may have on ichthyofauna. However, scientific knowledge about the real effectiveness of these management tools is lacking. The Sapucaí-Mirim River, an important tributary of Rio Grande (SP/MG), currently dammed by a cascade of three SHPs, has fish ladders and fish stocking programs. Several projects are being developed in this river, but some issues related to the conservation of ichthyofauna have not been clarified. Through previous knowledge about the ecology of the ichthyofauna (previous work of the candidate with Professor Marcos Nogueira's research group), added to its genetic structure (work proposed with the research group of Professor Fábio Porto-Foresti), we intend, through this project, connect the two areas to elucidate questions that have not yet been answered. The main spawning points of the Sapucaí Mirim River dammed section will be identified through the morphological analysis of eggs and larvae collected in different sampling sections and genetic analysis of this material to determine species composition. Eggs (genetic analysis) and larvae (morphological analysis) belonging to Prochilodus lineatus, a migratory species used as a model, will be separated to further evaluate their population structure. The work proposal was designed to answer questions related to the identification of the main reproductive sites, as well as the efficiency of the fish ladders and the ongoing fish stocking program. The samples of eggs and larvae were previously collected (candidate's doctorate), fortnightly from November 2016 to February 2017 in six sampling points, and are properly preserved in alcohol under refrigeration. In the genetic analysis of this material will be used DNA barcode for identification of eggs and microsatellite Loci to estimate the values of intra and interpopulation genetic diversity of eggs and larvae of P. lineatus, in addition to the evaluation of the relationship with the breeders used in the fish stocking program. (AU)