Assessing population status of Parachondrostoma arrigonis (Steindachner, 1866), threats and conservation perspectives

A simple approach for assigning the conservation status of freshwater fish based on their natural variability – a case study from the Iberian Ecoregion

“…Therefore, if the conservation classes developed here can be successfully adopted for other regions and species as more data become available, the suggested approach may be especially useful for many endemic fishes in the Mediterranean areas as the range of values that can be considered as normal in respect to fish abundance and biomass is still chiefly undocumented. Similar findings have been reported for Parachondrostoma arrigonis (Steindachner) in the River J ucar basin (central-eastern Iberian Peninsula) by Alcaraz et al (2015). On the Iberian Peninsula, Doadrio et al (2011) recently revealed that ten of the freshwater fish species now show a clearly declining trend in their population size, whereas 33 populations are increasing and 11 populations appear to remain stable.…”

“…The future of the freshwater ichthyofauna in the European part of the Mediterranean region is uncertain, and in some cases, species are under immediate threat of extinction (Freyhof & Brooks 2011). In conclusion, management efforts should focus in particular on the preservation of ecological processes to guarantee the conservation of native fish species (see Bøhn & Amundsen 2004;Maceda-Veiga 2013;Alcaraz et al 2015). In the case of all four species addressed in this study, there is a national decline in distribution area but not in population size (Doadrio et al 2011).…”

Diversity and structure of fragmented populations of a threatened endemic cyprinodontid (Aphanius sophiae) inferred from genetics and otolith morphology: Implications for conservation and management

“…The Kor Basin has been historically impacted by human activities, such as industry, agriculture, damming, and channelization (Haghighi & Kløve, ; Sheykhi & Moore, ). Human impacts may have detrimental effects on fish populations, cause habitat loss, fragmentation, and prevent upstream connection (e.g., Alcaraz, Carmona‐Catot, et al, ; Díez‐del‐Molino et al, ; Faulks et al, ), thus reducing fish population sizes and explaining the genetic diversity within populations.…”

“…Natural barriers such as waterfalls, climate, and hydrology alter genetic connectivity and gene flow (Faulks, Gilligan, & Beheregary, ; Fullerton et al, ; Oromi et al, ). Anthropogenic disturbances, such as dams, flow regulation, and pollution, increase habitat fragmentation and isolation, thus reducing genetic exchange and genetic diversity (Alcaraz, Carmona‐Catot, et al, ; Díez‐del‐Molino et al, ; Faulks et al, ). Consequently, understanding genetic diversity, population structure within and among populations, spatial distribution patterns, and the presence of dispersal barriers are critical to quantify the degree of genetic exchange and to identify isolated populations (Bonato et al, ; Casal‐López et al, ; Chung et al, ).…”

“…Natural barriers such as waterfalls, climate, and hydrology alter genetic connectivity and gene flow (Faulks, Gilligan, & Beheregary, 2011;Fullerton et al, 2010;Oromi et al, 2019). Anthropogenic disturbances, such as dams, flow regulation, and pollution, increase habitat fragmentation and isolation, thus reducing genetic exchange and genetic diversity (Alcaraz, Carmona-Catot, et al, 2015;Díez-del-Molino et al, 2018;Faulks et al, 2011).…”