Abstract
Reservoir shorelines are usually colonized by submerged macrophytes, which may select fish species that are able to thrive in these environments, consequently influencing the functional diversity of fish assemblages. However, there are also intense anthropogenic activities in these environments (macrophyte removal), which may also affect the functional diversity of fish communities. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of anthropogenic activities and habitat complexity provided by submerged macrophytes on the functional diversity of the ichthyofauna of reservoirs. Fish sampling was carried out at three stations in marginal areas of the Itaipu reservoir, located in sites near and apart from artificial sand beaches and with and without submerged macrophytes. The functional traits used were morphometric measurements taken from sampled fish (intraspecific traits), which were used to calculate three functional diversity indices: functional richness, evenness, and divergence. In general, no patterns were found for the functional diversity indices concerning macrophyte removal (among sampling sites). In contrast, habitat complexity did influence the functional diversity of fish assemblages, with results differ depending on macrophyte density. While functional richness was higher with greater habitat complexity, the opposite was evidenced for functional evenness and divergence. These findings reinforce the importance of different habitats for the maintenance of fish functional diversity in marginal areas of reservoirs. They also contribute to the implementation of macrophyte management for the maintenance of fish biodiversity and the establishment of priority areas for conservation and tourism in these environments.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura (Nupélia) from Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) for financial support and infrastructure for developing this study; and the Itaipu Binacional and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for financial support.
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This study was funded by Itaipu Binacional and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).
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do Nascimento, C.P., Alves, J.C., Latini, J.D. et al. Anthropogenic activities and habitat complexity influence fish functional diversity in a Neotropical reservoir. Aquat Sci 84, 35 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-022-00865-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-022-00865-4