Fish eggs and larvae drifting through hydropower reservoirs: a case study in the Brazilian Amazon

Vasconcelos, Lilian Paula; Alves, Diego Corrêa; Agostinho, Ângelo Antônio; Hahn, Lisiane; Câmara, Luís Fernando da; Gomes, Luiz Carlos

doi:10.1007/s10750-021-04631-9

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Collectively, these findings indicate that despite successfully drifting though small reservoirs, the majority of eggs and larvae might pass downstream through turbines and spillways, which may result in high levels of mortality. Similarly, Vasconcelos et al (2021) examined the impacts of hydropower facilities on fish eggs and larvae and their downstream dispersal through the reservoir to determine if dams act as significant barriers. While short reservoir retention times did not appear to have drastic effects on either life stage, results where not uniform across all considered taxonomic groups of fish, with adaptive Perciformes and Clupeiformes species with pelagic eggs being least affected.…”

Section: Lessons From Brazilmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives on the environmental implications of sustainable hydro-power: comparing countries, problems and approaches

et al. 2021

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Perspectives on the Environmental Implications of Sustainable Hydropower gathers scientific papers from three of the worlds most important hydropower producers to discuss aspects of sustainable hydropower and the means by which it can be studied and achieved. The papers examine the application and use of new technologies and protocols for studying hydropower, adaptive management and the implications and use of long-term data sets for minimizing hydropower impacts on fish populations.The papers include a cross section of biological and hydrological experts. The implicit among country comparisons highlight a number of common hydropower themes, particularly the need to expand from single species studies to include broader consideration of the ecosystem, the importance of maintaining habitat, trait and species diversity and the need for consistently collected long-term data sets.

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Section: Lessons From Brazilmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives on the environmental implications of sustainable hydro-power: comparing countries, problems and approaches

et al. 2021

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“…Most of the hydroelectric projects built nowadays are run-of-river (ROR) structures, which in theory flood smaller areas than traditional storage reservoirs. However, even hydroelectric projects with a ROR dam can impact environmental conditions (Almeida et al, 2019; Tundisi, 2018), human communities (Moran, 2020), and biodiversity (Lees et al, 2016; Vasconcelos et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Run-of-River Damming on Increasing Phytoplankton Biomass and Species Shift in a Large Amazonian River: Ecological Implications and Recommendations

Pineda,

Campos,

Zanon

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Run-of-river (ROR) dams, often perceived as having minimal environmental impact, can induce significant hydrodynamic changes that alter aquatic ecosystems. We investigated the impacts of an ROR dam on the Madeira River, the largest Amazon tributary, focusing on phytoplankton communities and their ecological implications. Our study examined changes in biomass and species composition before and after damming as well as their drivers in both the main channel and tributaries (N=549 samples). Following dam construction, we observed a shift in the phytoplankton community from lotic diatoms to lentic phytoflagellates. This transition was likely facilitated by altered hydrodynamics and possibly influenced by the decomposition of flooded vegetation in the dam’s influence zone. The decomposition of this vegetation could explain both the observed increase in oxygen consumption and the subsequent rise in phytoflagellate biomass after damming. On the other hand, despite an overall increase in phytoplankton biomass, the values remained within oligo- and mesotrophic conditions, which related to the low nutrient concentrations observed. However, we caution that the dam-created hydrodynamic conditions are optimal for phytoplankton growth, potentially exacerbating nutrient-related issues in the future. We recommend proactive management strategies to prevent nutrient enrichment from agricultural and livestock activities in isolated Amazon areas affected by dams, thereby mitigating potential water quality degradation linked to phytoplankton biomass increase.HighlightsROR dams can significantly alter aquatic ecosystems and hydrodynamic conditions.Post-dam, phytoplankton shifted from lotic diatoms to lentic phytoflagellates.Decomposing flooded vegetation likely increased phytoflagellate biomass.Phytoplankton biomass increased but remained within oligo- and mesotrophic levels.Proactive management is needed to prevent future nutrient enrichment issues.Graphical abstract

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“…The accurate identification of eggs and larvae has been a main barrier, due to the lack of identification keys and knowledge on ontogenetic patterns (Nakatani et al ., 2001; Reynalte‐Tataje et al ., 2020). Nonetheless, this information is basic for monitoring programmes and critical for biodiversity conservation planning, especially for species subject to anthropic impacts (Cheng et al ., 2013; Vasconcelos et al ., 2021a; Vasconcelos et al ., 2021b; Lopes et al ., 2021). Studies on eggs and larvae provide information about reproductive periods, spawning and nurseries areas, ontogenetic development, life‐history traits, distribution and abundance (Nakatani et al ., 2001), which inform about population recruitment, stock size, dynamics and fisheries resources (Ahlstrom & Moser, 1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global trends, biases and gaps in the scientific literature about freshwater fish eggs and larvae

Carnicer

Lima

Pelicice

et al. 2022

Journal of Fish Biology

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Syntheses of knowledge are important to reveal trends, biases and gaps in the scientific literature, indicating main data shortfalls and research needs. In this regard, the authors conducted a broad systematic review on the literature about freshwater fish eggs and larvae to investigate (a) temporal trends in the global scientific production, (b) the scope and habitat types, (c) the spatial distribution of studies, (d) the fish species contemplated and their respective conservation status and (e) the factors associated with the spatial distribution of studies. They analysed 654 studies published between 1950 and 2020. The number of studies has increased over time, but with a weak trend. Most studies investigated basic questions about biology and ecology and were carried out chiefly in rivers and lakes. These studies covered 95 freshwater ecoregions (22.3% of all ecoregions) and recorded 871 fish species (4.8% of all freshwater fish currently described). Most species were assessed by the IUCN and classified into six threat categories, but approximately 35% were not evaluated. The main drivers affecting the spatial distribution of studies were ecoregion area, road density, river volume and the number of hydroelectric plants. Results point to significant biases and gaps in the global scientific literature on fish eggs and larvae, especially associated with habitat type, spatial distribution and target species, emphasizing the need to address specific topics. Such biases and gaps indicate the existence of important data shortfalls, which compromise management and conservation planning, as information on fish eggs and larvae is basic and critical for the assessment of fish recruitment and population dynamics.

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Fish eggs and larvae drifting through hydropower reservoirs: a case study in the Brazilian Amazon

Cited by 7 publications

References 30 publications

Perspectives on the environmental implications of sustainable hydro-power: comparing countries, problems and approaches

Perspectives on the environmental implications of sustainable hydro-power: comparing countries, problems and approaches

Impact of Run-of-River Damming on Increasing Phytoplankton Biomass and Species Shift in a Large Amazonian River: Ecological Implications and Recommendations

Global trends, biases and gaps in the scientific literature about freshwater fish eggs and larvae

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