A tale of two lakes: Fish introduction and the biodiversity of upland Amazonian lakes

• Autor(a) principal: Nobre, Regina Lúcia Guimarães
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFRN
• Texto Completo: https://repositorio.ufrn.br/jspui/handle/123456789/25904
• topic: Trophic cascade; species translocation; community structure; biological invasions; omnivory.

Astyanax bimaculatus was artificially introduced in Violão lake, an upland Amazonian lake located on Serra dos Carajás/Brazil. This fish became abundant there, but is absent across nearby fishless lakes with similar characteristics, as is the case of Amendoim lake. This study aimed to test predictions of food-web theory regarding effects of a top predator fish introduction in these systems. Data series of biotic variables sampled on both Violão and Amendoin lakes from 2010 to 2013 were used. Lakes were very distinct regarding the structure and composition of macroinvertebrates, with communities being richer and more abundant in Amendoim lake. A difference on zooplankton composition was detected but no consistent effects were observed regarding zooplankton structure. Phytoplankton in Violão lake presented higher richness and chlorophyll-a biomass. Differences found at ecosystem-scale for macroinvertebrates community suggests descendent effects of A. bimaculatus translocation are more consistent in benthic-littoral communities than on planktonic communities. Results also indicates that A. bimaculatus has potential to couple pelagic and littoral habitat trough nutrient recycling. Our results showed differences between lakes are within the description of omnivorous fish effects on aquatic systems and thus, considering the effects of fish translocation in such aquatic ecosystems is pivotal for preserving local biodiversity.