Abstract
The effectiveness of protected areas to conserve freshwater fishes is limited because these areas are not usually congruent with regional patterns of fish species richness and distribution. We compared the richness, distribution and abundance of coastal freshwater fishes in a biogeographic province of Venezuela to determine their conservation status. We also estimated the relevance of existing protected areas in conserving fishes in different physiographic units and tributaries by evaluating species richness and distribution. The ichthyofauna (72 spp., ~30% endemic, ~10% threatened) was distributed according to orography, drainage and physiographic units. Most protected areas had limited effectiveness for fish conservation, mainly because they were too small or included only fragments of tributaries or drainages, or because they were located only in highland drainages where species diversity was minimal. To adequately protect freshwater fishes in this province the existing protected areas should be modified and expanded.
Highlights
Areas protected for conservation are often set up on the basis of available regional inventories of landscapes, biogeographic patterns of terrestrial biota, or the need to protect populations of specific, usually terrestrial, species
The situation is dire in the Neotropics where the largest diversity of freshwater fishes occurs, but our scant knowledge of fish taxonomy, biology and ecology hinders the design of effective strategies for their conservation
The drainages of the Tocuyo, Aroa and Yaracuy Rivers were recognized as having the highest species richness and endemism in the province, and as such are of highest priority for conservation
Summary
Areas protected for conservation are often set up on the basis of available regional inventories of landscapes, biogeographic patterns of terrestrial biota, or the need to protect populations of specific, usually terrestrial, species. A lack of complete biogeographic records often leads to the creation of protected areas that are later found to exclude important habitats and species, and limit their relevance for conservation. This lack of foresight is most evident and worrisome when considering freshwater ecosystems and their fish fauna. Information about fishes is not usually taken into consideration when designing park and refuge systems This is paradoxical since today we know that freshwater fishes are among the most endangered species on the planet as a result of habitat loss and degradation, water pollution, species invasion and climate change (Abell et al, 2009). Many protected areas in South America include only fragments of watersheds or streams and so fail to include essential regions necessary to guarantee the continuity of hydrosystem function and maintenance of freshwater biodiversity
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