Peces endémicos de sistemas fluviales de la Selva Atlántica en la Argentina: Áreas prioritarias para su conservación

Abstract

Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened by human activities and climate change; so, their conservation is a priority. The province of Misiones has the highest rate of fish endemisms of all the ictic areas of Argentina. Our objective was to establish the status and conservation priorities of the interior river courses of the Atlantic Forest in Argentina in relation to the presence of endemic and distribution-restricted fish in Misiones, evaluating their representativeness in the system of protected areas and determining gaps in conservation. The ecological integrity of the river systems was analyzed according to the degree of modifications calculated by means of the rapid index for the evaluation of the quality of riverside ecosystems (QBR). Their degree of protection was estimated by the percentage of the river course outside, inside or marginal to protected areas. Streams that efficiently include all endemic species were prioritized. Thirty-six watercourses are home to 79 endemic fish species; 22 streams appear a priority for conservation because they would protect all endemic species. However, more than half of these streams are not currently protected and suffer alterations such as destruction of marginal vegetation, dams, pollution and introduction of exotic species. The highest priority for conservation was assigned to the Iguazú, Yabotí and Urugua-í watercourses with their tributaries.