Temporal patterns of fish occurrence of the euryhaline sector of a subtropical estuary, southern Brazil

Fish fauna was studied in five sites of the shallow infralittoral of the Paranaguá Bay during the period from October 1999 to September 2000. At each sampling site, fish were sampled with other trawls, salinity and temperature were measured, water samples were taken from the bottom of the water column for determination of dissolved oxygen, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate. The spatial and temporal behavior of the environmental variables was analyzed by a Principal Component Analysis; Cluster Analysis was used to gather the sampling sites, and Factorial Correspondence Analysis was applied to the most abundant species. Temperature was themost important variable for the distribution of the months, allowing the division of the study period into hot and cold months. The temporal variation in the fish fauna composition was indicated by cluster analysis, with highest percentages of dissimilarity between the sampling sites during hot months. The variation in dissimilarity between the sites occurred due to differences in the number of individuals and species of the catches. The high frequencies of occurrence of Anisotremus surinamensis, Etropus crossotus, Genidens genidens, Micropogonias furnieri and Sphoeroides greeleyiwere related to high temperatures. The greatest number of fish and species observed in hot months may be related to the life cycle of many species, which reproduce in warmer months, and whose offspring use estuaries as breeding areas.

Invasion of the dinoflagellate Ceratium furcoides (Levander) Langhans 1925 at tropical reservoir and its relation to environmental variables / Invasão do dinoflagelado Ceratium furcoides (Levander) Langhans 1925 em um reservatório tropical e sua relação com as variáveis ambientais

Dinoflagellates of the genus Ceratium are chiefly marine but there are rare occurrences in freshwater. In this study we analyze the invasion and progressive establishment of Ceratium furcoides, an exotic species, in the Furnas Reservoir. Samples were taken at 36 points in the reservoir, during the months of March, June, September and December, 2007. Measurements of some physical and chemical variables were simultaneously performed at each site. The occurrence of C. furcoides was registered at 20 sites, with densities varying between 0.57 and 28,564,913.0 ind.m-3. Blooms of this species were recorded in points which were classified as mesotrophic, coinciding with the places receiving high amounts of untreated domestic sewage. C. furcoides density was correlated with temperature, nutrients (nitrate and nitrite) and water electric conductivity. The highest density was recorded in June when temperature was low. The presence of Ceratium furcoides in the reservoir apparently has not yet affected the reservoir water quality or other plankton communities. However, if it becomes fully established it could perhaps become a problem in the reservoir or even to spread out to other reservoirs in Rio Grande basin.

Dinoflagelados do gênero Ceratium são principalmente marinhos, porém existem raras ocorrências em água doce. Neste estudo analisamos a invasão e o estabelecimento progressivo de Ceratium furcoides, uma espécie exótica no reservatório da UHE de Furnas. Foram coletadas amostras em 36 locais em todo o reservatório durante os meses de março, junho, setembro e dezembro de 2007. Variáveis físicas e químicas foram aferidas em cada local. C. furcoides ocorreu em 20 dos 36 pontos de coleta, em densidades que variaram entre 0.57 e 28.564.913 ind.m-3. A maior densidade da espécie foi registrada na região do rio Marimbondo (G14) classificada como mesotrófica e local onde alto volume de esgoto doméstico sem tratamento é lançado diariamente. A densidade de C. furcoides foi correlacionada com os valores de temperatura, nutrientes dissolvidos (nitrato e nitrito) e com a condutividade elétrica. Até o momento do presente estudo, a presença de Ceratium furcoides no reservatório aparentemente não afetou as condições ambientais ou outras comunidades, porém, ao se tornar plenamente estabelecida poderá se transformar em um risco ecológico e até mesmo espalhar-se para outras bacias.

Composição da ictiofauna em função da fisiografia de um riacho costeiro de Floresta Atlântica - Brasil / Ichthyofauna composition related to physiography in a coastal stream of Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Os riachos costeiros apresentam grande diversidade de peixes, apesar dos impactos a que são submetidos. O conhecimento da estrutura e da composição da ictiofauna constitui importante esforço para levantamento de parâmetros de avaliação que possam proporcionar atitudes para a conservação destes ambientes. A composição da ictiofauna relacionada a características fisiográficas de riachos costeiros do sul do Brasil constitui-se uma contribuição para a interpretação da dinâmica destes ecossistemas. Foram realizadas coletas de peixes em cinco pontos amostrais do Rio do Pinto, localizado no município de Morretes, Paraná, Brasil. As coletas foram realizadas entre os meses de maio de 2006 a novembro de 2007, utilizando a técnica de pesca elétrica, com um esforço amostral de 50 m/hora em cada localidade. Os animais coletados foram fixados em formaldeído 10 por cento. Cada localidade foi classificada em relação ao tipo de substrato, profundidade, velocidade de correnteza e largura média. Foi possível observar a relação direta entre o tipo de substrato e a composição da ictiofauna. Em regiões onde a granulometria era maior, tais como matacões e seixos, prevaleceram os Siluriformes. Por outro lado, em regiões onde o sedimento apresentava menor granulometria, tais como areia grossa associada a cascalho, ocorreram espécies de Characiformes.

In spite of the impacts that tropical streams are submitted, they still present a great fish diversity. The knowledge of the fish structure and composition is an important attempt in order to stabilish evaluation parameters that can favour conservation of these environments. The icthyofaunal composition related to physiographic features of coastal streams of south Brazil is an important contribution to the interpretation of these ecosystem dynamics. We perform fish collections in five sampling sites in the Pinto River, placed in Morretes municipality in the Paraná State, Brazil. The samples were accomplished between May 2006 and November 2007, using electric fishing along 50 m/hour in each site. The collected animals were fixed in formaline 10 percent. Each site (point) was classified in relation to the bottom substratum, depth, width average, and current speed. Direct relationship between substratum type and fish compostition was observed. Siluriformes were predominant in places with coarseness granulometry, such as boulders, cobbles and pebbles. On the other hand, Characiformes were predominant in places with smaller granulometry, such as coarse sand and gravel.