Potential ecological distribution of alien mollusk Corbicula largillierti and its relationship with human disturbance in a semi-arid reservoir

• Autor(a) principal: Azevêdo, Evaldo de Lira
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Outros Autores: Barbosa, José Etham de Lucena, Vidigal, Teofânia Heloisa Dutra Amorim, Marques, João Carlos, Callisto, Marcos, Molozzi, Joseline
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108495; https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-BN-2015-0109
• topic: Corbiculidae; anthropic disturbance; environmental quality; Corbiculidae; distúrbio antrópico; qualidade ambiental

The introduction of exotic mollusk species has resulted in loss of biodiversity in semi-arid neotropical aquatic ecosystems. This study aims to relate the presence and density of Corbicula largillierti species to human disturbance, providing data for the conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems. Specimens were collected at Epita´cio Pessoa reservoir in December 2011 and June 2012, presenting densities of 20.96 and 62.89 individuals per square meter, respectively. Anthropic disturbance metrics were calculated considering the presence, type and intensity of disturbance in littoral, riparian and flood zones. The occurrence of C. largillierti was mainly associated to the variables total phosphorus (261.05 ± 342.22 mg/L) and total nitrogen (440.79 ± 103.77 mg/L), near to tributaries. The occurrence of exotic mollusk species is evidence of the need for freshwater ecosystem conservation and management, particularly in reservoirs used for water supply.