Abstract
Abstract: We investigated spatial and temporal variations in the distribution of fish eggs and larvae in the Guareí River, a free-flowing tributary located in the upper section of the Jurumirim Reservoir, Paranapanema River, Brazil. Fish eggs and larvae were sampled ~ fortnightly from November 2017 to March 2018 (Cycle 1), and from November 2018 to March 2019 (Cycle 2), at three sites distributed along the entire course of the Guareí River. We collected 859 fish eggs and 1,340 larvae, comprising 19 taxa. We found reproductive activity of several fish species in the Guareí River, including long-distance migrants. However, there was no spatial differences in the assemblage structure and densities of fish eggs and larvae along the channel of Guareí River. We recorded temporal differences in larvae density only in Cycle 2. The consistent capture of fish eggs and larvae in two reproductive cycles is strong evidence that this river is a spawning site for a variety of fish species. Thus, we recommend maintaining its natural flow regime.
Highlights
The distribution of fish eggs and larvae in freshwater ecosystems reflects the reproductive success of species
We investigated spatial and temporal variations in the distribution of fish eggs and larvae in the Guareí River
The Guareí River is a small tributary flowing into the Jurumirim Reservoir, Upper Paranapanema River (Henry et al 2016)
Summary
The distribution of fish eggs and larvae in freshwater ecosystems reflects the reproductive success of species. Depending on the species [e.g., Salminus brasiliensis (Cuvier, 1816)], the larvae may be carried toward downstream reaches for dozens of kilometers (Rosa et al 2020). In this sense, spatial and temporal assessments of ichthyoplankton distribution are important to understand reproductive and recruitment dynamics in an ecosystem (e.g., Castro et al 2002, Henry & Suiberto 2014, Rosa et al 2020). This information plays an important role to guide conservation strategies (Nakatani et al 2001, Bialetzki et al 2016), especially in rivers subject to human impacts (e.g., river regulation, fragmentation, habitat loss, pollution, deforestation)
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