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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Disentangling the influences of habitat structure and limnological predictors on stream fish communities of a coastal basin, southeastern Brazil

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Author(s):
Ferreira, Fabio Cop [1] ; da Silva, Andre Teixeira [2] ; Goncalves, Cristina da Silva [3] ; Petrere, Jr., Miguel [4, 5]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Inst Biociencias, Dept Ecol, BR-13506910 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil
[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Inst Biociencias, Dept Zool, BR-13506910 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil
[3] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Inst Biociencias Letras & Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Lab Ictiol, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP - Brazil
[4] Univ Fed Sao Carlos UFSCar, Programa Posgrad Div Biol & Conservacao PPGDBC, Ctr Ciencias & Tecnol Sustentabilidade, BR-18052780 Sorocaba, SP - Brazil
[5] Univ Santa Cecilia, Programa Posgrad Sustentabilidade Ecossistemas Co, BR-11045907 Santos, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 5
Document type: Journal article
Source: Neotropical Ichthyology; v. 12, n. 1, p. 177-186, JAN-MAR 2014.
Web of Science Citations: 5
Abstract

In stream environments habitat structure and limnological factors interact regulating patterns of energy and material transfer and affecting fish communities. In the coastal basins of Southeastern Brazil, limnological and structural characteristics differ between clear and blackwaters streams. The former have a diversity of substrate types, higher water velocities, and lower water conductivity, while the latter have sandy substrate, tea-colored and acidic waters, and low water velocities. In this study, we verified the relative importance of habitat structure and limnological variables in predicting patterns of variation in stream fish communities. Eight first to third order streams were sampled in the coastal plain of Itanhaém River basin. We captured 34 fish species and verified that community structure was influenced by physical habitat and limnology, being the former more important. A fraction of the variation could not be totally decomposed, and it was assigned to the joint influence of limnology and habitat structure. Some species that were restricted to blackwater streams, may have physiological and behavioral adaptations to deal with the lower pH levels. When we examined only the clearwater streams, all the explained variation in fish community composition was assigned to structural factors, which express specific preferences for different types of habitats. (AU)