Subterranean “oasis” in the Brazilian semiarid region: neglected sources of biodiversity

Bento, Diego de Medeiros; Souza‐Silva, Marconi; Vasconcellos, Alexandre; Bellini, Bruno Cavalcante; Prous, Xavier; Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes

doi:10.1007/s10531-021-02277-6

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…In addition to exhibiting the highest species richness, sites 13 and 14 are also the most negatively affected by anthropic activities and the presence of two introduced cichlid. Invasive species are a threat to the native fish fauna and the aquatic troglobitic invertebrates that occur at these sites (Bellard et al, 2016;Bento et al, 2021). The anthropic impacts identified in both sites were also reported by Cruz et al, (2010) as one of the main speleological impacts in RN, responsible for negative effects on the local flora and fauna.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

“…1). This region has a high biospeleological potential, with a rich fauna of troglomorphic and troglobitic invertebrate species, and concentrates about 90% of the caves currently registered in RN (Bento et al, 2021;CANIE/CECAV, 2022).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This region concentrates about 90% of the caves currently registered in RN (CANIE/CECAV, 2022). The Jandaíra Formation has a rich subterranean biodiversity, particularly of troglobitic invertebrates, including aquatic organisms such as crustaceans and planarians (Bento et al, 2021). However, this region was not included in the most recent national surveys that compiled occurrences of subterranean fishes in the main Brazilian karst areas (Trajano, 2021;Bichuette & Gallão, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity and conservation of fishes from karstic areas of the Jandaíra Formation in the Brazilian semiarid

et al. 2023

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Few studies have focused on non-troglomorphic fishes occurring in Brazilian caves, especially those in the Caatinga region. The present study is the first survey of fishes from karstic areas of the Jandaíra Formation in Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil. This region is characterized by a high concentration of caves and a rich subterranean biodiversity, especially of troglobitic invertebrates, but remains considered a gap on the knowledge of the subterranean ichthyofauna in Brazil. Four field expeditions were carried out covering two dry and two rainy seasons, in 2018 and 2019, in 23 localities in small river basins along the western part of the Jandaíra Formation. A total of 829 fish specimens, none of them troglomorphic, was captured and identified as belonging to 25 species of 12 families and five orders. Amongst them, four species are endemic of the Mid-Northeastern Caatinga ecoregion, and two non-native species were recorded. Habitats were classified into three categories: superficial, associated to cave, and cave. Although no troglomorphic fish species was found in this study, we recorded 64.1% of the Apodi-Mossoró river ichthyofauna occurring in caves or associated to caves, corroborating the hypothesis that part of the ichthyofauna exploits these environments as a refuge during the dry season. In addition, we suggest conservation policies for the maintenance of subterranean and aquatic semiarid ecosystems in the Jandaira formation, which is currently under threat due to anthropogenic activities, such as mining and deforestation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diversity and conservation of fishes from karstic areas of the Jandaíra Formation in the Brazilian semiarid

et al. 2023

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“…The species diversity of cave restricted fauna, mostly troglobites, is positively correlated to the extension of the cave and the presence of perennial pools, and sometimes negatively correlated to the presence of streams, which can cause disturbance in the habitats, and import a more diverse troglophile fauna [4]. Therefore, the more diverse troglobitic fauna is supposed to be found in larger caves, which are often formed in limestone rock, this is corroborated by the cave fauna hot spots found in limestone cave systems in Southeastern and Northeastern Brazil [3,5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The number of troglobites, with a full consideration of the threats or conservation conditions of the caves and surroundings, was recently used as criteria for defining hotspot [3]. Another hot spot for subterranean fauna is recorded from Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil, they assumed the same criteria for defining the caves systems in the study as an "oasis of subterranean biodiversity" [5], where the diversity and threats were fully addressed.…”

Section: Subterranean Collembola Hot Spotmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cryptic subterranean diversity in Collembola indicates that Hot Spot in ferruginous rock may have serious implications in Brazilian conservation policy.

Zeppelini

Oliveira

Lima

et al. 2021

Preprint

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A super diverse hot spot of subterranean Collembola in ferruginous rock caves and Mesovoid Shallow Substratum is revealed by the analysis of cryptic diversity. The diversity is accessed by detailed description of chaetotaxy and slight variation in morphology of 11 new species of Trogolaphysa Mills, 1938 (Collembola, Paronellidae, Paronellinae) and the 49 previously recorded species of springtails from caves, using optical and electronic microscopy. When combined with recent subterranean surveys, our results show an important reservoir of cave diversity in the Mesovoid Shallow Substratum, contrasting with the conservation policy for subterranean fauna in metallogenic areas in Brazil which prioritizes the caves instead the cave species, which may be extremely detrimental to the fauna in the shallow subterranean habitats not accessible to humans.

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Before it’s too late: priority areas for conservation of cryptic and threatened species of troglobitic arthropods in the Brazilian semiarid

de Medeiros Bento,

Ferreira,

Vasconcelos

et al. 2024

Biodivers Conserv

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Subterranean “oasis” in the Brazilian semiarid region: neglected sources of biodiversity

Cited by 12 publications

References 62 publications

Diversity and conservation of fishes from karstic areas of the Jandaíra Formation in the Brazilian semiarid

Diversity and conservation of fishes from karstic areas of the Jandaíra Formation in the Brazilian semiarid

Cryptic subterranean diversity in Collembola indicates that Hot Spot in ferruginous rock may have serious implications in Brazilian conservation policy.

Before it’s too late: priority areas for conservation of cryptic and threatened species of troglobitic arthropods in the Brazilian semiarid

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