Loss of phytoplankton functional and taxonomic diversity induced by river regulation in a large tropical river

Hydrobiologia - Human activities have disrupted the functioning of river ecosystems around the world. In the Amazon basin, hydropower expansion has affected diversity patterns, but no study has...     

Contrasting continental patterns and drivers of taxonomic and functional turnover among fish assemblages across Brazilian reservoirs

Hydrobiologia - In this paper, we investigated composition and trait turnover among fish assemblages in reservoirs distributed across major Brazilian basins, in order to contrast taxonomic and...     

Community reassembly after river regulation: rapid loss of fish diversity and the emergence of a new state

Hydrobiologia - Hydroelectric expansion has affected the functioning of most tropical rivers in the world. However, community reassembly in Neotropical impoundments remains poorly understood,...     

Research on dams and fishes: determinants,directions, and gaps in the world scientific production

Hydrobiologia - Despite the socio-environmental importance of ichthyofauna, global fish biodiversity has decreased, and the damming of rivers is one anthropogenic activity that causes this...     

We need better understanding about functional diversity and vulnerability of tropical freshwater fishes

Here we extend a discussion initiated by Toussaint et al. (Sci Rep 6:22125, 2016) concerning the relationship between global patterns of freshwater fish functional diversity (FD) and its vulnerability to human impacts. Based on a set of morphological traits, they concluded that Neotropical freshwater fishes have highest FD, but low vulnerability given high levels of functional redundancy. This conclusion implies that conservation efforts for freshwater fishes should emphasize temperate regions. This perspective is risky, because Toussaint et al.’s study seriously underestimates the full scope of FD, including important ecosystem services provided by fishes in the tropics. We briefly discuss some additional and well-documented aspects of tropical freshwater fish FD and conclude that tropical fish FD is highly vulnerable.     

Removing the abyss between conservation science and policy decisions in Brazil

The executive and legislative branches of Brazilian government have either proposed or taken a variety of initiatives that threaten biodiversity and ecosystems. Opposition by the scientific community has largely been ignored by decision-makers. In this short essay, we present recent examples of harmful policies that have great potential to erode biodiversity, and we suggest ways to communicate scientific knowledge to decision- makers. If the current gap between conservation science and policies is not filled, the country will threaten the maintenance of its natural capital and, consequently, the sustainability of essential societal activities in the long term.     

Protected areas: A focus on Brazilian freshwater biodiversity

Brazil has a variety of aquatic ecosystems and rich freshwater biodiversity, but these components have been constantly damaged by the expansion of unsustainable activities. An array of different conservation strategies is needed, especially the creation of protected areas (PAs, hereafter). However, Brazil's PAs are biased towards terrestrial ecosystems and we argue that current PAs have limited efficacy in the protection of freshwater biodiversity. New PAs should better consider aquatic environments, covering entire basins, rivers and other freshwater habitats. We recommend ways to implement these PAs and provide guidance to avoid social impacts. Freshwater systems in Brazil provide essential goods and services but these ecosystems are being rapidly degraded and will be lost if not adequately protected.     

Amazon aquatic biodiversity imperiled by oil spills

Oil exploitation poses a significant threat to freshwater biodiversity, and future plans to develop petroleum leases in the Amazon Basin should be seem with caution. A series of oil spills have significantly affected biodiversity and human activities in some Amazonian basins, indicating that disturbances by petroleum activities will increase in the region, particularly in upper basins and river headwaters. Measures are needed to reduce the risk of spills and to minimize their impacts. More fundamentally, changes in decision making are needed that give proper weight to these impacts.