Lateral migration of fishes in Amazon floodplains

Abstract

Abstract— Migrations of fish in the outlet channel of Lago do Rei, a floodplain lake on Careiro Island in the Amazon River, were examined using three capture methods. Of the 85 species found in the Parana do Rei (channel), 20 migrated between the lake and river. Migrations from the lake to the river occurred in two pulses. In August‐September, as the river water level began to recede, some fish migrated to the river with the current. As the river water level rose in December‐January, additional fish migrated towards the main river against the current. Fish returned to the lake by March or April after they had spawned. The migratory patterns of six species, family Curimatidae and Prochilodontidae: Potamorhina latior, Psectrogaster amazonica, P. rutiloides, Curimata kneri, Prochilodus nigricans and Semaprochilodus taeniurus are described in detail. Lateral migrations of fish in this ecosystem appear to be closely linked to breeding and to physical habitat changes related to river water level.

Distribuição sazonal das larvas de Mylossoma aureum e Μ. duriventre (osteichthyes: serrasalmidae) na Costa do Catalão, Rio Amazonas, Amazonas, Brasil

“…Existe também a possibilidade de que as chuvas e as fases da lua não exerçam influências importantes nas desovas ou transporte de larvas destas espécies e atuem mais diretamente nos movimentos migratórios para reprodução (Bayley, 1973;Ribeiro, 1983;Welcomme, 1985;Fernandes, 1997).…”

“…O início da época de desova deste grupo tem sido relacionada a diversos fatores ambientais. O aumento no nível do rio causado pela enchente é o fator mais citado pela literatura, mas a chuva e, em menor escala as fases da lua, são freqüentemente mencionados (Schwassmann, 1978;Goulding, 1980;Ribeiro, 1983;LoweMCconnell, 1987;Fernandes, 1997). Apesar de algumas informações sobre a sazonalidade da reprodução dos Characiformes do rio Amazonas, pouco se sabe sobre as variações interanuais na desova das espécies deste grupo e sobre a influência dos parâmetros ambientais (Vazzoler & Menezes, 1992).…”

Factors affecting the distribution of fish during receding flood in lower Irtysh: effects of water level and diurnal cycle

“…Hydrological and ecological connectivity between them and the main river channel are the necessary condition for normal functioning of the whole ecosystem (Wolter and Bischoff, 2001;Amoros and Bornette, 2002;Nunn et al, 2010). Flooding brings about dramatic changes to the river system, altering habitat mosaic (Stanford et al, 2005), modifying sedimentation, nutrient supply, current speed, water surface area and so on (Junk et al, 1989;Fernandes, 1997;Wolter and Bischoff, 2001). Thus, flooding significantly changes habitats of many fish species and triggers a range of their migrations.…”

“…However, many previous studies concerned relatively large-scale and long-term effects of the flood, basically involving the seasonal distribution and migration patterns within the framework of the flood pulse concepts (Junk et al, 1989;Fernandes, 1997;Wolter and Bischoff, 2001). Much less is known about possible local, direct and relatively short-term effects of the water level change on fish behaviour and distribution, especially the intensity of their downstream migration (Murchie et al, 2008).…”

“…Among many possible causal factors, flooding is known to significantly affect patterns of fish migration (Fernandes, 1997;Agostinho et al, 2004;Rakowitz et al, 2008). However, many previous studies concerned relatively large-scale and long-term effects of the flood, basically involving the seasonal distribution and migration patterns within the framework of the flood pulse concepts (Junk et al, 1989;Fernandes, 1997;Wolter and Bischoff, 2001).…”