Movement patterns of stream-dwelling fishes from Mata Atlântica, Southeast Brazil

Abstract

Abstract:The identification of mechanisms of spatial-temporal variation, obtained from the quantification of natural populations, is a central topic of ecological research. Despite its importance to life-history theory, as well as to conservation and management of natural populations, no studies concerning movement patterns and home range of small stream-dwelling fishes from Brazilian rain forests are known. In the present study we aimed to describe the longitudinal pattern of long distance movement as well as local patterns of short movement (daily home-range) of fishes from a Mata Atlântica stream from Southeast Brazil. We gathered information about movement dynamic in order to discuss the relationship between swimming ability, fish morphology and home range. Long distance movement data were obtained in a mark-recapture experiment held in the field between June and September -2008, on five sites along the Ubatiba stream. For this study, we had one day to mark fishes, on June-19, and 14 events for recapture. Considering the ten species that inhabit the study area, our study showed that four species: Astyanax janeiroensis, Astyanax hastatus, Parotocinclus maculicauda and Pimelodella lateristriga, moved at least 6 000m in 60 days. The other six species did not present long distance movements, as they were recaptured in the same site 90 days after being marked. For short distance study, movement data were obtained in one mark-recapture experiment held in a 100m long site subdivided into five 20m stretches where fishes were marked with different elastomer colours. We marked 583 specimens that after recapture showed two groups of different movement patterns. The first group was called "Long Movement Group" and the second one was called "Short Movement Group". The Long Movement Group showed, on average, 89.8% of moving fishes and 10.2% of non moving fishes, against 21.3% and 78.7%, respectively, for the Short Movement Group. It was concluded that fish movement could explain the previously mentioned community stability, and that it is correlated to specific morphological attributes. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (4): 1837-1846. Epub 2012 December 01.

Disentangling the influences of habitat structure and limnological predictors on stream fish communities of a coastal basin, southeastern Brazil

“…We found that 19 out of the 34 species captured in the present study (aproximately 55%) are present both in streams and the main rivers of the basin (Ferreira & Petrere Jr., 2009). In addition, Mazzoni et al (2004) and Mazzoni & Iglesias-Rios (2007) found evidence of short reproductive migrations for some species of Characidae of Atlantic forest streams, while Mazzoni & Iglesias-Rios (2012) by means of a mark-recapture experiment, found a group of fishes (Astyanax janeiroensis, A. hastatus, Parotocinclus maculicauda, and Pimelodella lateristriga), which they called "Long Movement group", that moved at least 6 km within 60 days. Nonetheless, the Mantel test indicated a non-significant influence of site proximities upon assemblage structure, suggesting that including a third spatial matrix would be unhelpfull to reduce significantly the unexplained variation of fish-environment association.…”

Fish movement in an Atlantic Forest stream

“…Previous studies in tropical streams (e.g. Mazzoni, Iglesias-Rios, 2012;Mazzoni et al, 2015) revealed that fishes move longer distances than that mentioned by Gerking (1959). Mazzoni, IglesiasRios (2012) registered fish movement in a tropical stream and suggested that they were mainly motivated by reproduction.…”

“…and A. janeiroensis were recaptured just near the marking site, moving through short distances. Fishes with restricted movement and small home-ranges face different challenges when compared to those with longer distance movement (Mazzoni, Iglesias-Rios, 2012). Cichlidae (G. brasiliensis) and Loricariidae (H. punctatus and Rineloricaria sp.)…”

“…In contrast, there are few studies about both long and short distance fish movement and home range in tropical streams (e.g. Mazzoni, Iglesias-Rios, 2012;Mazzoni et al, 2015). The available studies for Neotropical region described migratory routes in large rivers of Amazon and Paraná basins (e.g.…”

“…We tested the between-species differences in frequency and displacement distance. In addition, considering that reproductive traits are expected to affect fish movement (Mazzoni, Iglesias-Rios, 2012), the relationship between movement and season (rainy and dry) and body size were also investigated.…”