INTRODUCTION: Reference streams are pristine streams, untouched or unaltered by man, it being possible to use their environmental characteristics as quality threshold values. Besides the organic impacts measured via water quality biological monitoring programs, it has become necessary to evaluate the relationship between alterations in the landscape of streams and surrounding areas and changes in the structure of the macroinvertebrate community; AIM: The objective of the present study was to correlate the changes in the landscape with the ecological attributes of the community and indices of water quality, and to recommend reference condition values for the integrity of streams in the region of Jundiai (SP); METHODS: The benthic fauna were sampled in three urban streams, three rural streams and three preserved streams during July 2010, using a Surber-type sampler. The characteristics of the landscape were evaluated by means of Diversity of Habitat; the community, analyzed for several biodiversity indices, and; the water quality assessed using the indices River-BCI, BMWP-CETEC (CETEC - Science and Technology Center), ASPT and SOMI (SOMI - Serra dos Órgãos Multimetric Index (Serra dos Órgãos is a mountain range national park in the state of Rio de Janeiro)); RESULTS: The structure and the composition of the communities varied according to the stream and this was reflected in the values of the biological and environmental quality indices. The best conditions were found in preserved streams, intermediate streams and rural streams while the worst conditions were found in the urban streams. The significant Pearson correlations (r > 0.73 and P < 0.05) between the diversity of habitat index and the ecological and water quality index attributes in the streams of Jundiai demonstrated that diversity of habitat may be a good predictor of the environmental characteristics evaluated.

Preservation of terrestrial fauna and flora has been the main reason for the settlement of most protected areas in the past 30 years, but although those areas may include water bodies, this does not necessarily mean that the biodiversity of freshwater environments are also protected. In the present study, the fauna inventory of eight streams (1 st , 2 nd , 4 th and 5 th orders) of three microbasins of Japi Mountain, a Biosphere Reserve of Atlantic Forest recognised by UNESCO since 1994, located in São Paulo state, southeast of Brazil, was conducted. The hypothesis of this study is that the conservation of this area is important for the maintenance of the aquatic biodiversity of this biome, and so, this world hotspot deserves priority conservation actions. From 2005 to 2007, benthic macroinvertebrates, fishes and, eventually, anuran amphibians were sampled in these streams. The results showed that Japi Mountain contributes to the conservation of 138 taxonomic units of the aquatic biota and covers a rich and representative biodiversity of freshwater fauna of the world (0.2%), Neotropical region (0.9%), Brazil (2.4%) and São Paulo state (17.9%). The studied streams in the Environmental Protection Area help protect endangered taxa like the fishes Neoplecostomus paranensis and Pareiorhina cf rudolphi, and shelter freshwater invertebrates and fishes whose distribution is restricted to the Brazilian territory. Japi Mountain is also an important haven of species that was missing there like the frog species Vitreorana eurygnatha. Thus, this species inventory emphasises the importance of conservation actions of the freshwater environments of this Biosphere Reserve of Atlantic Forest.Keywords: amphibians, freshwater, fish, invertebrates, protected areas. A importância de uma Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica para a Conservação da Fauna de Riachos ResumoA conservação da fauna e flora terrestres tem sido a principal razão para o estabelecimento da maioria das áreas protegidas nos últimos 30 anos, porém, apesar de muitas destas áreas apresentarem corpos d'água, isto não significa necessariamente que a biodiversidade dos ambientes dulcícolas também estará protegida. No presente trabalho foi realizado o levantamento da fauna de oito riachos (1ª, 2ª, 4ª e 5ª ordens) de três microbacias da Serra do Japi, localizada no estado de São Paulo e reconhecida como Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica pela UNESCO desde 1994. A hipótese do estudo é de que a conservação desta área seja de grande importância para a manutenção de sua biodiversidade aquática, comprovando assim a necessidade de ações prioritárias de conservação deste bioma.

About 70% of fish species listed as threatened by the Red List of the Brazilian Fauna show no records within conservation units (CUs). Information to assist the identification and the understanding of the ecology of the species are essential to subsidize different management practices and the appropriate monitoring of the conservation areas. Thus, the objective of this study was to compile existing information in the literature about the ichthyofauna of streams in the CU Serra do Japi and develop an identification key for the fish species. The key was developed considering the characteristics of 31 species of the Upper Paraná River Basin, including headwater endemic species, especially three endangered species of the State of São Paulo - Characidium oiticicai, Pareiorhina cf. rudolphi and Pseudocorynopoma heterandria.

Cerca de 70% das espécies de peixes listadas como ameaçadas no Livro Vermelho da Fauna Brasileira não apresentam registros dentro de unidades de conservação (UCs). Informações que contribuam para a identificação e com aspectos da ecologia das espécies são essenciais para a manutenção do patrimônio natural, subsidiando tanto a gestão quanto a fiscalização destas áreas. Para tanto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi compilar informações existentes na literatura sobre a ictiofauna de riachos da UC Serra do Japi e elaborar uma chave de identificação das espécies de peixes da região. A chave foi montada a partir das características de 31 espécies da bacia do Alto Rio Paraná, incluindo espécies endêmicas de riachos de cabeceira, bem como três espécies ameaçadas de extinção no Estado de São Paulo - Characidium oiticicai, Pareiorhina cf. rudolphi e Pseudocorynopoma heterandria.