Major hydroelectric dams are proliferating in tropical regions such as Amazonia, where extensive new hydropower developments are planned despite potentially severe ecological and social impacts. The status of freshwater biota in the vicinity of existing dams could be valuable to predict the effects of such developments, but detailed ecological monitoring before and after dam construction is frequently lacking. In the absence of these data, we used a space-for-time replacement to compare a key component of the aquatic biota at upstream and downstream sites, with the latter more closely resembling river channel conditions prior to the dam. We assessed the fish assemblages upstream and downstream of the Coaracy Nunes Dam in Amapá, Brazil, the first ecological study at this site since this dam was constructed 42 years earlier. We used gillnets during eight bimonthly field campaigns, covering both wet and dry seasons, and sampled the ichthyofauna (1819 individuals, 81 species) at four sites: Downstream Channel, Reservoir, Upstream Lake and Upstream Channel. We found clear negative impacts on the abundance, biomass, species richness, alpha diversity and species dominance upstream of the dam. The physical subdivision of the river channel and the upstream channel conversion from lentic to lotic habitats were strongly associated with differences in the composition and structure of fish communities. Notable changes include an increased contribution of small-bodied fish in the reservoir and an absence of long-distance migrants upstream of the dam. Downstream channel habitats, in particular, retained their fish diversity with high conservation value typical of eastern Amazonia, yet these areas now face the threat of new hydropower development farther downstream. The long-term impacts on aquatic biodiversity highlighted in this study are especially relevant in the face of burgeoning new hydroelectricity development plans for rivers across lowland Amazonia

We investigated the niche breadth and overlap of the fish species occurring in four environments affected by the Coaracy Nunes reservoir, in the Amapá Brazilian State. Seasonal samples of fishes were taken using a standard configuration of gillnets, as well as dragnets, lines, and cast-nets. Five hundred and forty stomach contents, representing 47 fish species were analyzed and quantified. Niche breadth and overlap were estimated using indexes of Levins and Pianka, respectively, while interspecific competition was evaluated using a null model (RA3). ANOVA and the kruskal-Wallis test were used, respectively, to evaluate differences in niche breadth and overlap between areas. The data indicate that the majority of the fish species belong to the piscivore, omnivore, and detritivore guilds. These species have likely colonized the environments due to the availability of suitable feeding resources, and the favorable physical conditions created by the river damming. Overall, few species have ample niches, but most of them are highly specialized. Resources seasonal variation had little effect on the feeding behavior of most species in the study areas. The null models indicated that competition was not a factor determining on community structure.

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The present study focused on the fish fauna of the 44-yearold Coaracy Nunes reservoir in the northern Amazon basin, producing estimates of the growth constant (k), maximum and asymptotic body lengths and weights, natural mortality (M), the consumption/biomass ratio (QB) (intake of food by a group over a year), the Aspect ratio (Ar) of the caudal fin, growth performance (Φ), longevity, and trophic level for 45 fish species. Species collection was divided into eight sampling campaigns between May 2009 and July 2010. Gillnets were used in four of the sampling sites. The results revealed that (i) the most predominant species are Ageneiosus ucayalensis, Hemiodus unimaculatus, Serrasalmus gibbus and Geophagus proximus; (ii) small and medium-sized fishes predominated in the community, characterized by high rates of growth and natural mortality, consistent with a predominance of r-strategists; (iii) the body lengths of the detritivore species were similar to those of the piscivores, which are normally larger, but with higher growth rates, more similar to those recorded for the omnivores; (iv) consumption/biomass ratio (QB) 9 body length relationship is higher in the detritivores than in the omnivores and piscivores (which were similar to each other). Overall, the reservoir habitat appears to be advantageous to detritivorous fish species.

The stomach contents of 172 individuals of Hypostomus plecostomus and 94 specimens of Hypostomus emarginatus from the Coaracy Nunes reservoir in northern Brazil were analyzed in order to evaluate the feeding ecology of the two fish species from this site. Data were collected in eight campaigns conducted every two months between May, 2010 and July, 2011, four in the dry season and four during the flood period. The analysis of the stomach contents was based on the volumetric frequency (VF%) and frequency of occurrence (FO%), combined with the feeding index (FI). Nine different dietary items were identified: detritus, plant fragments, zooplankton, arthropods, chlorophytes, bacillariophytes, cyanobacteria, dinophytes, and unidentified material. Detritus was the principal component of the diet during both seasons, with all the other items representing only complementary or accidental portions of the diets of both species. Niche breadth was low overall, but slightly greater in H. plecostomus in comparison with H. emarginatus. Niche overlap was accentuated in both seasons, which indicates that seasonality is not a major factor influencing the characteristics of the niches of these species, possibly because of the marked abundance of detritus in the study area, specifically in the impounded sector. The two species can be characterized as detritivores, which share dietary resources with no clear evidence of any negative effects of interspecific competition on the coexistence of the two populations.RESUMO: Dieta, amplitude e sobreposição de nicho entre Hypostomus plecostomus (Linnaeus, 1758) e Hypostomus emarginatus (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes) do reservatório da UHE Coaracy Nunes, Ferreira Gomes, Amapá-Brasil. O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar a ecologia trófica de 172 exemplares de Hypostomus plecostomus e 94 indivíduos de Hypostomus emarginatus do reservatório da UHE Coaracy Nunes, Ferreira Gomes-Amapá, coletados em oito campanhas, bimensalmente de maio de 2010 a julho de 2011, sendo quatro no período seco e quatro no período de cheia. A análise baseou-se nos métodos de freqüência volumétrica (FV%) e de ocorrência (FO%), combinados no índice alimentar (IAi). Foram encontradas nove categorias de alimentos: Detritos, fragmentos vegetais, zooplâncton, artrópodes, chlorophyta, bacillariophyta, cyanobacteria, dinophyta e material não identificado. Nos dois períodos sazonais, detritos foi o item mais consumido, sendo os demais considerados itens de consumo acidental ou de complementação para ambas as espécies. Em geral, a amplitude de nicho foi baixa, porém entre as duas espécies houve pequena diferença, sendo a amplitude de H. plecostomus maior que a de H. emarginatus.Nos dois períodos sazonais, a sobreposição de nicho apresentou valores elevados, indicando que a sazonalidade não é um fator decisivo na alteração de nicho dessas espécies, provavelmente em virtude da alta disponibilidade de detritos, particularmente na região do represamento. Conclui-se que as duas espécies apresentam hábito alimentar detrit...

RESUMO. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os hábitos alimentares da raia P. motoro na APA do Rio Curiaú, Macapá-Amapá, no período de Julho/2006 a agosto/2007. Foram capturados 144 indivíduos, dos quais 79 eram fêmeas e 65 eram machos em duas estações sazonais (cheia e seca). Foram realizados os métodos de análise da dieta, os percentuais volumétricos, de ocorrência e IAi. A dieta alimentar estava composta por vinte e três (23) itens, sendo o item crustáceo considerado o preferencial, seguido por peixes. Entretanto, os itens insetos aquáticos e moluscos foram freqüentes na dieta nas duas estações sazonais. A variação da composição da dieta foi atribuída às oscilações do nível hidrométrico do ambiente e da disponibilidade dos recursos alimentares nos mesmos.Palavras-chave: estações, dieta, importância alimentar, frequência de ocorrência. ABSTRACT:FEEDING OF Potamotrygon motoro (CHONDRICHTHYES, POTAMOTRYGONIDAE) FROM THE FLOODPLAIN OF THE APA OF CURIAÚ RIVER, MACAPÁ-AMAPÁ-BRAZIL. This work aimed to study the eating habits of P. streak BB engine in Rio Curiaú, Macapá, Amapá, from July/2006 to August 2007. We captured 144 individuals, of whom 79 were females and 65 males were in two seasons seasonal (flood and drought). We conducted the analysis methods of the diet, the volumetric percentage of occurrence and IAI. The diet was composed of twenty-three (23) items, the item being considered the preferred crustacean, followed by fish. However, the items aquatic insects and mollusks were common in the diet in two seasons seasonal. The variation in diet composition was attributed to changes in the hydrometric level of the environment and the availability of food resources in them.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a dieta de Ageneiosus ucayalensis do reservatório da Usina Hidrelétrica Coaracy Nunes, no município de Ferreira Gomes/AP. As amostragens foram feitas bimestralmente em três estações de coleta na área do reservatório entre julho/2009 e julho/2010. As coletas foram realizadas utilizando redes de espera, organizadas em baterias com sete redes cada e diferentes distâncias entre nós. Após a captura, foi realizada a biometria dos exemplares, sendo seus estômagos retirados, fixados e conservados para análise em laboratório. A proporção sexual foi realizada no intuito de verificar se houve diferença significativa entre os sexos. Os itens alimentares do conteúdo estomacal foram agrupados em categorias amplas e analisados através dos métodos de frequência de ocorrência e volumétrico, combinados no Índice de Importância Alimentar (IAi), por período sazonal. Os resultados evidenciaram que a proporção entre os sexos foi de 1:1, com uma leve predominância de fêmeas. Quanto à alimentação, a espécie mostrou-se carnívora, com a dieta baseada principalmente em microcrustáceos, crustáceos, peixes e material não identificável. Variações sazonais na dieta não foram nítidas e, provavelmente, estão relacionadas tanto à disponibilidade das presas na área quanto à manipulação do nível da água do reservatório pelo controle de comportas.