Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela
We examined physical habitat and fish assemblages in rivers of the Aroa Mountains (Venezuela) with different levels of environmental protection due to the creation of Yurubí National Park within the drainage. We developed an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and evaluated it using principal components...
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Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia
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doaj-24f49b1f69ad428d97a27e3c72afbc982020-11-24T23:06:35ZengSociedade Brasileira de IctiologiaNeotropical Ichthyology1982-02244331932810.1590/S1679-62252006000300003S1679-62252006000300003Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, VenezuelaDouglas Rodríguez-Olarte0Ahyran Amaro1Jorge Coronel2Donald C. Taphorn B.3Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro AlvaradoUniversidad Centroccidental Lisandro AlvaradoUniversidad Centroccidental Lisandro AlvaradoMuseo de Ciencias Naturales GuanareWe examined physical habitat and fish assemblages in rivers of the Aroa Mountains (Venezuela) with different levels of environmental protection due to the creation of Yurubí National Park within the drainage. We developed an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and evaluated it using principal components analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Tributary rivers were divided into classes according to their origin (protected by the park) and physical characteristics of each, including substrate. Fishes were captured using standardized electrofishing. Fish communities showed greater species richness in heterogeneous habitat and protected rivers but overall abundance was higher in unprotected and impacted rivers. The IBI was sensitive to these differences and the scores were higher in protected rivers. The IBI detected degree of disturbance of fish communities without direct consideration of habitat parameters measured. The PCA revealed a gradient in substrate heterogeneity. Similarly, CCA revealed differences in fish assemblage composition along the environmental gradient and that varied with protection status of the river. The relationship between PCA and IBI scores was highly significant (r² = 0.61, P < 0.0001). The PCA and CCA analysis moderately validated the structure and predictability of IBI; but it is still necessary to refine the model and to extend its application for more time and over a wider area.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252006000300003&lng=en&tlng=enIndex of Biotic IntegrityHabitat characterizationMultivariate analysisNational Park |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Douglas Rodríguez-Olarte Ahyran Amaro Jorge Coronel Donald C. Taphorn B. |
spellingShingle |
Douglas Rodríguez-Olarte Ahyran Amaro Jorge Coronel Donald C. Taphorn B. Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela Neotropical Ichthyology Index of Biotic Integrity Habitat characterization Multivariate analysis National Park |
author_facet |
Douglas Rodríguez-Olarte Ahyran Amaro Jorge Coronel Donald C. Taphorn B. |
author_sort |
Douglas Rodríguez-Olarte |
title |
Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela |
title_short |
Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela |
title_full |
Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela |
title_fullStr |
Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela |
title_full_unstemmed |
Integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, Sierra de Aroa, north Caribbean coast, Venezuela |
title_sort |
integrity of fluvial fish communities is subject to environmental gradients in mountain streams, sierra de aroa, north caribbean coast, venezuela |
publisher |
Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia |
series |
Neotropical Ichthyology |
issn |
1982-0224 |
description |
We examined physical habitat and fish assemblages in rivers of the Aroa Mountains (Venezuela) with different levels of environmental protection due to the creation of Yurubí National Park within the drainage. We developed an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and evaluated it using principal components analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Tributary rivers were divided into classes according to their origin (protected by the park) and physical characteristics of each, including substrate. Fishes were captured using standardized electrofishing. Fish communities showed greater species richness in heterogeneous habitat and protected rivers but overall abundance was higher in unprotected and impacted rivers. The IBI was sensitive to these differences and the scores were higher in protected rivers. The IBI detected degree of disturbance of fish communities without direct consideration of habitat parameters measured. The PCA revealed a gradient in substrate heterogeneity. Similarly, CCA revealed differences in fish assemblage composition along the environmental gradient and that varied with protection status of the river. The relationship between PCA and IBI scores was highly significant (r² = 0.61, P < 0.0001). The PCA and CCA analysis moderately validated the structure and predictability of IBI; but it is still necessary to refine the model and to extend its application for more time and over a wider area. |
topic |
Index of Biotic Integrity Habitat characterization Multivariate analysis National Park |
url |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1679-62252006000300003&lng=en&tlng=en |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT douglasrodriguezolarte integrityoffluvialfishcommunitiesissubjecttoenvironmentalgradientsinmountainstreamssierradearoanorthcaribbeancoastvenezuela AT ahyranamaro integrityoffluvialfishcommunitiesissubjecttoenvironmentalgradientsinmountainstreamssierradearoanorthcaribbeancoastvenezuela AT jorgecoronel integrityoffluvialfishcommunitiesissubjecttoenvironmentalgradientsinmountainstreamssierradearoanorthcaribbeancoastvenezuela AT donaldctaphornb integrityoffluvialfishcommunitiesissubjecttoenvironmentalgradientsinmountainstreamssierradearoanorthcaribbeancoastvenezuela |
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