Fishes (Actinopterygii) of the rapids and associated environments in the lower Vaupés River Basin: an undiscovered Colombian Amazon diversity.

The Vaupés River stands out as one of the few within the Amazon basin due to its numerous rapids. These riverine fast-flowing sections not only provide habitat to highly specialized fishes but also function as natural barriers hindering the movement of fish along its course. During a fish-collecting expedition in the lower Vaupés River basin in Colombia, 95 species were registered belonging to 30 families and seven orders. Despite recent inventories in the region, our comprehensive sampling efforts particularly focused on the rapids and associated rheophilic fauna, allowing us to contribute the first records of four fish species in Colombia (Mylopluslucienae Andrade, Ota, Bastos & Jégu, 2016, Tometesmakue Jégu, Santos & Jégu, 2002, also first record of the genus, Leptodoraspraelongus (Myers & Weitzman, 1956), and Eigenmanniamatintapereira Peixoto, Dutra & Wosiacki, 2015) and six presumably undescribed species (i.e., Jupiaba sp., Moenkhausia sp., Phenacogaster sp., Bunocephalus sp., Hemiancistrus sp., and Archolaemus sp.). In this study, a commented list of the ichthyofauna of these environments is presented, as well as a photographic catalog of fish species integrated into the CaVFish Project - Colombia.

The Andes-Amazon-Atlantic pathway: A foundational hydroclimate system for social-ecological system sustainability.

The Amazon River Basin's extraordinary social-ecological system is sustained by various water phases, fluxes, and stores that are interconnected across the tropical Andes mountains, Amazon lowlands, and Atlantic Ocean. This "Andes-Amazon-Atlantic" (AAA) pathway is a complex hydroclimatic system linked by the regional water cycle through atmospheric circulation and continental hydrology. Here, we aim to articulate the AAA hydroclimate pathway as a foundational system for research, management, conservation, and governance of aquatic systems of the Amazon Basin. We identify and describe the AAA pathway as an interdependent, multidirectional, and multiscale hydroclimate system. We then present an assessment of recent (1981 to 2020) changes in the AAA pathway, primarily reflecting an acceleration in the rates of hydrologic fluxes (i.e., water cycle intensification). We discuss how the changing AAA pathway orchestrates and impacts social-ecological systems. We conclude with four recommendations for the sustainability of the AAA pathway in ongoing research, management, conservation, and governance.

The effects of temperature and salinity on the blood chemistry and survival of juvenile Atlantic tarpon Megalops atlanticus.

Atlantic tarpon Megalops atlanticus are highly migratory sportfish that support recreational fisheries throughout their range. In US waters, juveniles can be found in coastal and estuarine habitats along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic seaboard, with temperature limiting their northern latitudinal distribution. Juveniles may overwinter in these areas during the first several years of life. Low temperatures are known to cause mortality in adults, but the challenges of temperature are less understood for juveniles. Furthermore, salinity, which can change dramatically in these habitats, may have a synergistic effect with temperature. To examine the physiological effects of temperature and salinity on juvenile tarpon, wild fish were acclimated to a range of conditions that potentially occur in the northern range of their estuarine habitats. The haematology of juvenile tarpon was examined in two salinity (≤2 and ≥30 ppt) and temperature (15 and 25°C) treatments, followed by a low-temperature tolerance test. After 2 weeks in treatment conditions, blood samples were analysed for haematocrit, pH, red blood cell concentration, haemoglobin content and plasma osmolality. Increased plasma osmolality was observed in fish at low temperature (15°C compared to 25°C) and at high salinity (≥30 ppt compared to ≤2 ppt). Blood pH was increased at 15°C compared to 25°C, with the highest pH at 15°C and low salinity. Haemoglobin, haematocrit and red blood cell concentration were higher at 25°C than 15°C, with haemoglobin lowest at 15°C and low salinity. For the low-temperature tolerance test, all fish were acclimated to 15°C for 2 weeks, then transferred to separate tanks where temperature was gradually decreased at 0.9 ± 0.1°C/h until fish lost equilibrium. Fish at low salinity lost equilibrium more rapidly (1 ppt, 12.65 ± 0.46°C) than fish at high salinity (30 ppt, 11.26 ± 0.14°C). The results indicate juvenile tarpon are susceptible to low temperature, which is exacerbated by low salinity, findings useful in the assessment of juvenile tarpon overwintering habitat.

Biotic Indicators for Ecological State Change in Amazonian Floodplains.

Riverine floodplains are biologically diverse and productive ecosystems. Although tropical floodplains remain relatively conserved and ecologically functional compared to those at higher latitudes, they face accelerated hydropower development, climate change, and deforestation. Alterations to the flood pulse could act synergistically with other drivers of change to promote profound ecological state change at a large spatial scale. State change occurs when an ecosystem reaches a critical threshold or tipping point, which leads to an alternative qualitative state for the ecosystem. Visualizing an alternative state for Amazonian floodplains is not straightforward. Yet, it is critical to recognize that changes to the flood pulse could push tropical floodplain ecosystems over a tipping point with cascading adverse effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. We characterize the Amazonian flood pulse regime, summarize evidence of flood pulse change, assess potential ecological repercussions, and provide a monitoring framework for tracking flood pulse change and detecting biotic responses.

Terrestrial-aquatic trophic linkages support fish production in a tropical oligotrophic river.

Despite low in situ primary productivity, tropical oligotrophic rivers support highly diverse fish assemblages and productive fisheries. This raises the question, what energy sources support fish production in these ecosystems? We sampled fish and food resources in the floodplain of a nearly pristine, large, oligotrophic river in western Amazonia. We combined data from stomach contents and stable isotopes to test the hypothesis that floodplain forests sustain fisheries in tropical oligotrophic rivers. Analysis of stomach contents from > 800 specimens of 12 omnivorous fish species demonstrated that during the annual flood, forest plant matter dominated diets. Yet, our isotope mixing models estimated that arthropods from the forest canopy made a greater proportional contribution to fish biomass. Most of these arthropods are entirely terrestrial and, therefore, serve as trophic links between forests and fishes. Our results suggest that forest vegetation, particularly fruits, may provide much of the energy supporting metabolism and arthropods contribute significant amounts of protein for somatic growth. Moreover, the importance of terrestrial arthropods in support of fish biomass in oligotrophic rivers depends on interactions between riparian vegetation, terrestrial arthropods and flood pulse dynamics affecting accessibility of arthropods to fishes. The apparent paradox of high fish diversity in an oligotrophic river with low primary productivity may be explained, at least partially, by dynamic terrestrial-aquatic trophic linkages. This study further emphasizes the importance of seasonally flooded forests for sustaining fisheries in the Amazon.

Stability and generalization in seed dispersal networks: a case study of frugivorous fish in Neotropical wetlands.

When species within guilds perform similar ecological roles, functional redundancy can buffer ecosystems against species loss. Using data on the frequency of interactions between fish and fruit, we assessed whether co-occurring frugivores provide redundant seed dispersal services in three species-rich Neotropical wetlands. Our study revealed that frugivorous fishes have generalized diets; however, large-bodied fishes had greater seed dispersal breadth than small species, in some cases, providing seed dispersal services not achieved by smaller fish species. As overfishing disproportionately affects big fishes, the extirpation of these species could cause larger secondary extinctions of plant species than the loss of small specialist frugivores. To evaluate the consequences of frugivore specialization for network stability, we extracted data from 39 published seed dispersal networks of frugivorous birds, mammals and fish (our networks) across ecosystems. Our analysis of interaction frequencies revealed low frugivore specialization and lower nestedness than analyses based on binary data (presence-absence of interactions). In that case, ecosystems may be resilient to loss of any given frugivore. However, robustness to frugivore extinction declines with specialization, such that networks composed primarily of specialist frugivores are highly susceptible to the loss of generalists. In contrast with analyses of binary data, recently developed algorithms capable of modelling interaction strengths provide opportunities to enhance our understanding of complex ecological networks by accounting for heterogeneity of frugivore-fruit interactions.

Isotopic variation among Amazonian floodplain woody plants and implications for food-web research / Variación isotópica entre plantas leãosas de planicies de inundación del Amazonas e implicaciones para la investigación de red tróficas

Isotopic variation within food sources adds uncertainty to models intended to reconstruct trophic pathways. Understanding this variation is pivotal for planning sampling protocols for food-web research. This study investigates natural variation in C and N stable isotopes among plant species in two western Amazon flooded forests with contrasting watershed biogeochemistry (white-water várzea-forest and black-water igapó-forest). Our objectives were to compare δ13C and δ15N of leaves and fruits between sites; assess the magnitude of within-site variation in δ13C and δ15N of leaves (várzea: 28 spp., igapó: 10 spp.) and fruits (várzea: 22 spp., igapó: 22 spp.); determine within-plant variation in δ13C and δ15N of leaf, wood and fruit tissues; and test whether inter-specific variation in δ13C and δ15N influence the results of a mixing model predicting the contribution of terrestrial C sources to an aquatic consumer. Mean δ13C values of leaves and fruits were not statistically different between the two sites despite regional differences in biogeochemistry and floristic composition. In contrast, mean δ15N of leaves and fruits were significantly lower at the várzea than at the igapó site. The high floristic diversity of both forests was reflected in large within-site interspecific variation in both δ13C and δ15N. Paired comparisons revealed that δ13C of wood and fruits and δ15N of fruits were generally greater than values obtained for leaves from the same plant. The predicted contribution of different carbon sources to the consumer biomass changed between models as a function of source variability. We discuss implications of source variation for designing sampling protocols, interpreting isotopic signatures, and establishing trophic links between plants and consumers. Our findings highlight the importance of in situ sampling to establish reliable primary production baselines for local food webs.

La variación isotópica dentro de fuentes alimenticias aãade incertidumbre a los modelos destinados a reconstruir redes tróficas. La comprensión de esta variación es fundamental para la planificación de protocolos de muestreo para la investigación de redes alimentarias. Este estudio investiga la variación natural en isótopos estables de C y N entre especies de plantas en dos bosques inundables de la Amazonía noroccidental con biogeoquímica de cuenca contrastantes (várzea-bosques de aguas blanca e igapó-bosques de aguas negras). Nuestros objetivos fueron comparar las seãales isotópicas de δ13C y δ15N de hojas y frutos entre bosques; evaluar la magnitud de la variación en la composición isotópica de hojas (várzea: 28 spp., Igapó: 10 spp.) y frutas (várzea:. 22 spp, igapó: 22 spp.) a nivel local; determinar la variación en la composición isotópica de madera, hojas y frutas dentro de una planta; y evaluar si la variación inter-específica en los valores de δ13C y δ15N ejerce influencia sobre los resultados de modelos que predicen la contribución de fuentes de alimentos terrestres a un consumidor acuático. Los valores promedio de δ13C en hojas y frutos no fueron estadísticamente diferentes entre los dos tipos de bosque a pesar de las diferencias regionales en biogeoquímica y composición florística. Por el contrario, los valores promedio de δ15N en hojas y frutos fueron significativamente más bajos en la várzea que en el igapó. La alta diversidad florística de los dos bosques se reflejó en una gran variación inter-específica a nivel local en δ13C y δ15N. Comparaciones pareadas revelaron que los valores de δ13C de madera y frutas y δ15N de frutas fueron generalmente mayores que los valores obtenidos para las hojas de la misma planta. Los resultados sobre la contribución de diferentes fuentes de carbono a la biomasa del consumidor cambió de un modelo a otro en función a la variabilidad isotópica en las fuentes alimenticias. Discutimos las implicaciones de la variación en las fuentes alimenticias para el diseão de los protocolos de muestreo, la interpretación de las seãales isotópicas, y el establecimiento de relaciones tróficas entre plantas y consumidores. Nuestros resultados destacan la importancia de la toma de muestras in situ para establecer líneas de base fiables de producción primaria para las redes tróficas locales.

Neotropical fish-fruit interactions: eco-evolutionary dynamics and conservation.

Frugivorous fish play a prominent role in seed dispersal and reproductive dynamics of plant communities in riparian and floodplain habitats of tropical regions worldwide. In Neotropical wetlands, many plant species have fleshy fruits and synchronize their fruiting with the flood season, when fruit-eating fish forage in forest and savannahs for periods of up to 7 months. We conducted a comprehensive analysis to examine the evolutionary origin of fish-fruit interactions, describe fruit traits associated with seed dispersal and seed predation, and assess the influence of fish size on the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish (ichthyochory). To date, 62 studies have documented 566 species of fruits and seeds from 82 plant families in the diets of 69 Neotropical fish species. Fish interactions with flowering plants are likely to be as old as 70 million years in the Neotropics, pre-dating most modern bird-fruit and mammal-fruit interactions, and contributing to long-distance seed dispersal and possibly the radiation of early angiosperms. Ichthyochory occurs across the angiosperm phylogeny, and is more frequent among advanced eudicots. Numerous fish species are capable of dispersing small seeds, but only a limited number of species can disperse large seeds. The size of dispersed seeds and the probability of seed dispersal both increase with fish size. Large-bodied species are the most effective seed dispersal agents and remain the primary target of fishing activities in the Neotropics. Thus, conservation efforts should focus on these species to ensure continuity of plant recruitment dynamics and maintenance of plant diversity in riparian and floodplain ecosystems.

Diet shift of Red Belly Pacu Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier, 1818) (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), a Neotropical fish, in the Sepik-Ramu River Basin, Papua New Guinea

Introduction of fish species is a globally widespread practice that causes losses of native species and homogenization of diversity within and across continents. Diet assessments are important tools to depict the ecological function of species introduced into novel ecosystem and possible direct and indirect ecological effects. In this study, we compare the diet of Piaractus brachypomus, a mainly frugivorous Neotropical fish, introduced into the Sepik-Ramu River Basin (Papua New Guinea) nearly two decades ago, to that of similar size individuals from Neotropical populations in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins (South America). In contrast to native populations that feed mainly on terrestrial plants and invertebrates, the diet of introduced P. brachypomus is mainly composed of fish remains and aquatic plants, while terrestrial plants are frequently consumed but in relatively smaller amounts. These findings show that P. brachypomus has an inherently plastic diet that can be adjusted when displaced to a novel geographic area. While trophic plasticity increases the likelihood of a species to establish breeding populations after its introduction, it also reduces our ability to predict negative effects on native species.

La introducción de peces es una práctica que se extiende globalmente y que causa perdida de especies nativas y homogenización de la diversidad dentro y entre continentes. Los estudios de dieta son herramientas útiles para definir la función ecológica de una especie introducida en un ecosistema nuevo y los posibles efectos directos e indirectos. En este estudio describimos la dieta de Piaractus brachypomus, una especie de pez Neotropical principalmente frugívora, que fue introducida en el río Sepik (Papua Nueva Guinea) hace casi dos décadas; y la comparamos con aquella de individuos de tamaño corporal similar de poblaciones nativas en las cuencas de los ríos Amazonas y Orinoco (América del Sur). En contraste con las poblaciones nativas que se alimentan principalmente de frutas y semillas, plantas e invertebrados terrestres, la dieta de individuos de P. brachypomus introducidos se compone principalmente de restos de peces y plantas acuáticas, mientras que plantas terrestres son consumidas frecuentemente pero en pequeñas cantidades. Estos resultados indican que P. brachypomus tiene una dieta plástica que puede adaptarse cuando la especie se desplaza a un área geográfica nueva. A pesar de que la plasticidad trófica aumenta la probabilidad de que una especie establezca poblaciones reproductivas después de la introducción, también reduce nuestra habilidad de predecir los efectos negativos sobre especies nativas.

Niche partitioning among frugivorous fishes in response to fluctuating resources in the Amazonian floodplain forest.

In response to temporal changes in the quality and availability of food resources, consumers should adjust their foraging behavior in a manner that maximizes energy and nutrient intake and, when resources are limiting, minimizes dietary overlap with other consumers. Floodplains of the Amazon and its lowland tributaries are characterized by strong, yet predictable, hydrological seasonality, seasonal availability of fruits, seeds, and other food resources of terrestrial origin, and diverse assemblages of frugivorous fishes, including morphologically similar species of several characiform families. Here, we investigated how diets of frugivorous fishes in the Amazon change in response to fluctuations in food availability, and how this influences patterns of interspecific dietary overlap. We tested predictions from classical theories of foraging and resource competition by estimating changes in diet breadth and overlap across seasons. We monitored fruiting phenology to assess food availability, and surveyed local fish populations during three hydrological seasons in an oligotrophic river and an adjacent oxbow lake in the Colombian Amazon. We analyzed stomach contents and stable isotope data to evaluate temporal and interspecific relationships for dietary composition, breadth, and overlap. Diets of six species of characiform fishes representing three genera changed according to seasonal fluctuations in food availability, and patterns of diet breadth and interspecific overlap during the peak flood pulse were consistent with predictions of optimal foraging theory. During times of high fruit abundance, fishes consumed items to which their functional morphological traits seemed best adapted, potentially enhancing net energy and nutritional gains. As the annual flood pulse subsided and availability of forest food resources in aquatic habitats changed, there was not a consistent pattern of diet breadth expansion or compression. Nonetheless, shifts in both diet composition and stable isotope ratios of consumer tissues during this period resulted in trophic niche segregation in a pattern consistent with competition theory.

Fish assemblage structure is consistent through an annual hydrological cycle in habitats of a floodplain-lake in the Colombian Amazon

I investigated changes in abundance and spatial distribution of medium- and large-sized fishes (>100 mm) in an oxbow lake of the lower Apaporis River, Colombian Amazon, across three seasons (falling, low, and rising water). Fifty-three species in 13 families were collected from six habitats: lagoon channels, stream, flooded forests, isolated shrub patches, muddy beaches, and rocks. Abundance, biomass, and species richness were higher during the rising-water season and lower during falling-water season. Correspondence analysis (CA) showed that fish assemblages were associated to two basic habitat types. One assemblage of fishes was associated with densely vegetated and structurally complex habitats (flooded forest, lagoon channels, stream, and isolated shrub patches), and a second assemblage of fishes was associated with muddy beaches. These assemblages persisted despite seasonal fluctuations in water level. Species in the structurally complex habitats assemblage were mostly omnivores, whereas the beach habitat assemblage included mainly piscivores and detritivores. Results from this study suggest that overall abundance of fishes in habitats within and surrounding Taraira Lake is highly variable among seasons, but species habitat affinity is maintained through seasons.

Neste estudo, investiguei mudanças na abundância e distribuição espacial de peixes de médio a grande porte (> 100 mm) em um lago do baixo rio Apaporis, na Amazônia colombiana, durante três períodos hidrológicos (águas descendentes, baixas e ascendentes). No total foram coletadas 53 espécies, pertencentes a 13 famílias, em 6 hábitats: bosque inundado, canais, um arroio, grupos isolados de arbustos, praias e grandes rochas. A abundância, biomassa e riqueza de espécies foram maiores durante as águas ascendentes e menores durante as águas descendentes. Uma análise de correspondência (CA) mostrou que grupos de peixes se associaram a dois tipos básicos de hábitat. Um grupo de peixes se associou com hábitats com alta cobertura vegetal e complexidade estrutural (bosque inundado, canais, arroio e grupos isolados de arbustos) e um segundo grupo de peixes se associou com praias arenosas. Estas associações de espécies se mantiveram apesar da flutuação no nível da água. Espécies em hábitats estruturalmente complexos foram principalmente de hábitos omnívoros, enquanto que o grupo associado a praias incluiu principalmente piscívoros e detritívoros. Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que a abundância de peixes no lago Taraira e em hábitats adjacentes é variavel estacionalmente, porém a afinidade das espécies pelo hábitat se mantem através dos períodos hidrológicos.