Aim  We quantify biotic homogenization of fish fauna caused by the elimination of a natural barrier between two freshwater ecoregions. We also evaluated fish introductions by different mechanisms such as aquaculture, angling and the aquarium trade in the homogenization of fish assemblages. The relative importance of native extinctions in the homogenization process was assessed by simulating the exclusion of threatened species in the data set. Location  Paraná River, south‐eastern South America. Methods  A fish species list of the Parana River Basin was organized in a subset of species distributions, according to pre‐ and post‐introductions caused by the elimination of the natural barrier and by other mechanisms. Biotic homogenization was verified by the use of Jaccard’s and Bray–Curtis’s coefficients, Whittaker’s beta diversity index, non‐metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) and nonparametric tests. Results  For all subsets of species distributions, we observed an increase in the number of non‐native species in common related to the introductions. Between 40 and 52% of the species currently present in the Upper Paraná Basin dispersed upstream from the Lower Paraná after the construction of Itaipu Dam, including at least 1 class, 2 orders, 4 families and 16 genera of fish. Jaccard’s coefficient between the Upper and Lower Parana River increased by 6–7.5% only considering the Itaipu Dam influence and 10.5% considering all mechanisms of fish introductions. More than 50% of the increase in similarity was caused by the elimination of the barrier. Our results indicated functional homogenization related to large‐bodied Siluriformes (catfish). Main conclusions  Itaipu Lake flooded a natural barrier and allowed hydrologic connectivity between the Upper and Lower Paraná River, and many fishes of the lower part of the river were able to colonize the upper stretches. The homogenization of the two assemblages between these adjacent aquatic regions was an unpredicted result of hydropower implementation. Introductions by dam can also shift longitudinal and latitudinal body size patterns (i.e. Bergmann's rule).

Understanding the trophic interactions and the position of species within a foodweb is crucial if we want to understand the dynamics of marine communities and the impact individual components of the community have on trophic network compartments. Recent studies have indicated sharks and rays are important elements within foodwebs. In this study, we evaluated the ecological importance of sharks and rays in a subtropical ecosystem off the coast of southern Brazil by using topological analyses. We tested the hypotheses that some elasmobranchs can be considered key elements within the foodweb, and that large predators have topological importance (act as keystones), so that, when large predators are excluded, mesopredator elasmobranchs occupy higher topological positions. Our results indicate that Galeocerdo cuvier, Carcharhinus obscurus, Carcharias taurus, Sphyrna lewini and S. zygaena are species with large ecological function values and may exert a powerful influence over lower levels. These issues need to be considered by conservation and fishery management groups since it appears that ecosystem integrity may be compromised by reductions in the populations of large predators. Carcharhinus obscurus, S. zygaena and Zapteryx brevirostris were found to be the elasmobranchs with largest values of centrality, and can, therefore, be considered key elements in the topological structure.

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Here we report the occurrence of the two non-native brown macroalgal species Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh and Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar in San Diego County and describe expansions in their ranges and new invasions on the California and Baja California coasts. Both species have exhibited characteristics of successful invaders: establishing in new areas, spreading locally, and persisting through multiple generations in areas that have been invaded. These species now occur primarily in harbors, but have also invaded open coast sites, suggesting that they can invade areas with relatively high wave action and with well-established native benthic communities. The rapid and uncontrolled spread of these species to date has serious implications for their expansion along the west coast of North America. The ecological and economic consequences of these invasions require further research.

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Protecting riparian vegetation around streams is vital in reducing the detrimental effects of environmental change on freshwater ecosystems and in maintaining aquatic biodiversity. Thus, identifying ecological thresholds is useful for defining regulatory limits and for guiding the management of riparian zones towards the conservation of freshwater biota. Using nationwide data on fish and invertebrates occurring in small Brazilian streams, we estimated thresholds of native vegetation loss in which there are abrupt changes in the occurrence and abundance of freshwater bioindicators and tested whether there are congruent responses among different biomes, biological groups and riparian buffer sizes. Mean thresholds of native vegetation cover loss varied widely among biomes, buffer sizes and biological groups: ranging from 0.5% to 77.4% for fish, from 2.9% to 37.0% for aquatic invertebrates and from 3.8% to 43.2% for a subset of aquatic invertebrates. Confidence intervals for thresholds were wide, but the minimum values of these intervals were lower for the smaller riparian buffers (50 and 100 m) than larger ones (200 and 500 m), indicating that land use should be kept away from the streams. Also, thresholds occurred at a lower percentage of riparian vegetation loss in the smaller buffers, and were critically lower for invertebrates: reducing only 6.5% of native vegetation cover within a 50‐m riparian buffer is enough to cross thresholds for invertebrates. Synthesis and applications. The high variability in biodiversity responses to loss of native riparian vegetation suggests caution in the use of a single riparian width for conservation actions or policy definitions nationwide. The most sensitive bioindicators can be used as early warning signals of abrupt changes in freshwater biodiversity. In practice, maintaining at least 50‐m wide riparian reserves on each side of streams would be more effective to protect freshwater biodiversity in Brazil. However, incentives and conservation strategies to protect even wider riparian reserves (~100 m) and also taking into consideration the regional context will promote a greater benefit. This information should be used to set conservation goals and to create complementary mechanisms and policies to protect wider riparian reserves than those currently required by the federal law.

Food partitioning between species is a common strategy for avoiding resource competition which allows the coexistence of two or more species in the same place. In order to evaluate the feeding of four species of batoids regularly caught by artisanal fisheries in southern Brazil, the present study aimed to analyse and compare the diet of the four batoid species. The Chola guitarfish, Rhinobatos percellens, had a specialized diet, consisting predominantly of blue crabs Callinectes sp., followed by teleost fish. The Lesser guitarfish Zapteryx brevirostris also had a very specialized diet, consuming mainly on Polychaeta, followed by Caridea shrimp. The Cownose ray, Rhinoptera bonasus, fed mainly on Ophiuroidea, followed by Gastropoda and Bivalvia. Finally, the Rio skate Rioraja agassizi, fed on teleost fish, Gammaridae, Caridea shrimp and Dendrobranchiata shrimp. An analysis of similarity showed significant differences among species in their diet. The trophic levels of the batoids in this study are ,4.0, placing them in intermediate trophic levels. The analysis of the diets indicates that feeding differs substantially among the four species, suggesting a partitioning of food resources available in the environment.

The recently described fish species, Astyanax altiparanae (tetra) is common in the upper rio Paraná basin, and has been reported in the Iguaçu basin. However, its natural origin in the rio Iguaçu is questionable. In the present work, karyotypical and morphological features of two populations of Astyanax altiparanae from the upper rio Tibagi and upper rio Iguaçu were compared. Both populations showed 2n=50 chromosomes and differences in their karyotype formula, NOR-bearing chromosomes and location of heterochromatin. Morphometric data from both populations were analyzed through free-size canonical variables. Cytogenetic and morphological results were mostly coincident showing exclusive markers that reflect their degree of populational isolation. In addition to other geographic, morphological and molecular data for A. altiparanae populations from the lower rio Iguaçu and rio Paraná tributaries upstream from the Itaipu Dam (South Brazil), the present results indicate that the two populations analyzed in this study belong to different stocks. The presence of this species along the rio Iguaçu basin would be a consequence of a complex and poorly understood evolutionary history.Astyanax altiparanae, recentemente descrita, é comum na bacia do alto rio Paraná, tendo sido registrada recentemente na bacia do rio Iguaçu. Entretanto, sua origem natural no rio Iguaçu é questionável. No presente trabalho algumas características cariotípicas e morfológicas de duas populações de Astyanax altiparanae do rio alto rio Tibagi e alto rio Iguaçu foram comparadas. Ambas as populações mostraram 2n=50 cromossomos e diferenças nas suas fórmulas de cariotípicas, cromossomos portadores das regiões organizadoras de nucléolos e localização da heterocromatina. Dados morfométricos das duas populações foram analisados para variáveis canônicas livres de tamanho. Os dados citogenéticos e morfológicos foram coincidentes e mostraram marcas exclusivas que refletem o grau de isolamento populacional. Em adição a outros dados geográficos, morfológicos e moleculares em populações de A. altiparanae do baixo rio Iguaçu e tributários do rio Paraná acima da represa de Itaipu (Sul do Brasil), os presentes resultados indicam que as duas populações analisadas neste estudo pertençam a diferentes estoques. A presença desta espécie ao longo da bacia do rio Iguaçu pode ser uma conseqüência de uma história evolutiva complexa e pouco conhecida.