Habitat simplification affects nuclear-follower foraging association among stream fishes

Autor(es)

Teresa, Fabricio Barreto ^[1] ; Romero, Renato de Mei ^[1] ; Casatti, Lilian ^[1] ; Sabino, Jose ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Lab Ictiol, Dept Zool & Bot, IBILCE, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Anhanguera Uniderp, Lab Biodiversidade & Conservacao Ecossistemas Aqu, BR-79003010 Campo Grande, MS - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Neotropical Ichthyology; v. 9, n. 1, p. 121-126, JAN-MAR 2011.
• Citações Web of Science: 9

Resumo

Nuclear-follower interaction is a particular kind of interspecific foraging association that includes a nuclear species, which dig in or inspect the bottom, and follower species, which access the food items made available by the nuclear. In this study we examined the effect of habitat structure on nuclear-follower relationship in a stream of Bodoquena Plateau, Central-West Brazil. Foraging associations were registered while snorkeling in 24 observation sessions, totaling six hours in unaltered and altered sites. Overall, 272 nuclear-follower associations were registered, having four species acting as nuclear and seven as followers. The dominant nuclear species were different in each site. Prochilodus lineatus was the main nuclear species in the altered site and Leporinus macrocephalus in the unaltered site. The richness of follower species was similar between sites, however, follower species abundance per interaction were significantly higher in the unaltered site than in the altered site. These differences seem to be a consequence of the alterations in assemblage composition and feeding behavior of the nuclear species that presumably are affected by different substrate composition and food availability between the structurally distinct areas. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 07/05400-6 - Ictiofauna de riachos em áreas de Cerrado: composição, estrutura e conservação
• Beneficiário: Renato de Mei Romero
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 08/03583-9 - Composição e diversidade funcional de comunidades de peixes em riachos
• Beneficiário: Fabrício Barreto Teresa
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado