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Cumulative ecological effects of a Neotropical reservoir cascade across multiple assemblages

Cumulative ecological effects of a Neotropical reservoir cascade across multiple assemblages Dams have altered the physiography and ecology of large rivers, causing severe environmental changes at a global scale. Assuming that series of reservoirs induce physical, chemical, and biological longitudinal changes in rivers, we tested the hypotheses that (i) the structure of biological communities in reservoir cascades is not only affected by changes in water quality, but also by cumulative hydrological alteration and impacts on river connectivity; and (ii) fish are more affected by cumulative effects of reservoirs when compared to other aquatic assemblages. Samplings of three assemblages (phytoplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish) were conducted in the reservoir cascade of São Francisco River, Brazil. We estimated the relative role of environmental and spatial predictors through variation partitioning analyses. Environmental variables, cumulative reservoir volume, longitudinal position, and distances from nearest reservoirs were used as explanatory variables. Environmental variables were the most important for the phytoplankton community. No significant effects of the predictors used were found for benthic macroinvertebrates, whereas spatial variables and cumulative reservoir volume were the most important predictors for fish. Therefore, our results provide evidence of impacts along reservoir cascades, and suggest that their effects mainly influence fish assemblages. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Hydrobiologia Springer Journals

Cumulative ecological effects of a Neotropical reservoir cascade across multiple assemblages

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Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 by Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
Subject
Life Sciences; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Ecology; Zoology
ISSN
0018-8158
eISSN
1573-5117
DOI
10.1007/s10750-018-3630-z
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Dams have altered the physiography and ecology of large rivers, causing severe environmental changes at a global scale. Assuming that series of reservoirs induce physical, chemical, and biological longitudinal changes in rivers, we tested the hypotheses that (i) the structure of biological communities in reservoir cascades is not only affected by changes in water quality, but also by cumulative hydrological alteration and impacts on river connectivity; and (ii) fish are more affected by cumulative effects of reservoirs when compared to other aquatic assemblages. Samplings of three assemblages (phytoplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish) were conducted in the reservoir cascade of São Francisco River, Brazil. We estimated the relative role of environmental and spatial predictors through variation partitioning analyses. Environmental variables, cumulative reservoir volume, longitudinal position, and distances from nearest reservoirs were used as explanatory variables. Environmental variables were the most important for the phytoplankton community. No significant effects of the predictors used were found for benthic macroinvertebrates, whereas spatial variables and cumulative reservoir volume were the most important predictors for fish. Therefore, our results provide evidence of impacts along reservoir cascades, and suggest that their effects mainly influence fish assemblages.

Journal

HydrobiologiaSpringer Journals

Published: May 2, 2018

References