Distribution patterns and influence of environmental variables on the fish assemblages in a neotropical Amazonian river
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20950/1678-2305/bip.2026.52.e986Keywords:
Amazon basin, Flood pulse, Hydrological period, Longitudinal gradient, River continuumAbstract
Based on the river continuum and flood pulse concepts, this study investigated the seasonal, spatial and limnological effects on fish assemblage distribution along the São Miguel River, Amazon basin, Brazil. Fish were sampled and environmental variables measured during the high- and low-water periods in upper, middle and lower sections of the river. The results revealed significant spatial and seasonal effects, as well as interactions between spatial and temporal gradients, which bring about distinct differences in assemblage composition. These patterns were associated with variations in limnological parameters along a longitudinal gradient. Species distribution and turnover were shaped by both the flood pulse and the spatial gradient, which are processes that drive environmental changes and influence trophic resource dynamics – key factors for species occurrence. Overall, our findings indicate that the structure of the fish assemblages in the São Miguel River is shaped by hydrological variation, with the flood pulse being the primary regulating factor of the taxonomic composition of the ichthyofauna.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Eloi Bispo Bezerra-Neto, Diego Maia Zacardi, Lucas Silva de Oliveira, Ruineris Almada Cajado, Carlos Edwar de Carvalho Freitas, Rodrigo Vieira Alves Amaral, Sandro de Vargas Schons, Raniere Garcez Costa Sousa
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