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Scientists look at tropical freshwater fisheries conservation at conference in Brazil Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology July 21, 2005 Below is a sampling of some of the freshwater fisheries conservation-related papers submitted for the conference. All descriptions are excepts from the official "Book of Abstracts" from the meeting. Further lists abstracts will be posted shortly. CAPRILES, JOSE; Domic, Alejandra. Department of Anthropology, Wash-XIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACTS ington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA, jcaprile((AT))artsci.wustl.edu. Carrera de Biologia, Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia, alejandradomic((AT)) biociencias.org. In this paper, we present a synthesis of the available information on the human use of fish in Lake Titicaca, south-central Andes. First, we present a diachronic history of the human exploitation of fishes in light of recent archaeological information as well as classical and current ethnographic literature. Second, we discuss the biological and ecological information about Lake Titicaca fishes focusing on the endemic killifish genus Orestias currently considered endangered. Third, we make a strong reflection on the importance of understanding long-term ecological processes of humannature interactions. We conclude that the available information still has many gaps in relation to the biology and ecology of the fish populations as well as long-term impacts of human fisheries on them, particularly in relation to recent threats THE VULNERABILITY OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS OF THE NAPO RIVER BASIN TO ANTHROPOGENIC DISTURBANCES, ECUADORIAN AMAZON. CELI, JORGE; McClain, Michael. Department of Environmental Studies, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, 33199, FL, USA, jceli002((AT))fiu.edu. Aquatic ecosystems exhibit different vulnerabilities to anthropogenic disturbances as a function of ecosystem characteristics and the nature of disturbances. Determining the vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to existing threats is an important prerequisite for effective management of biodiversity. In this study we examined the main aquatic ecosystems of the Napo river basin in Ecuador. The Napo is Ecuador's largest river basin and has a high diversity of aquatic habitats and biota extending from the high Andes to the lowland Amazon. Widespread development in the basin threatens to degrade aquatic ecosystems and their environmental services. We stratified the basin into six Ecological Drainage Units and 53 ecosystems. Ecosystem condition was assessed by analyzing the streamside zone, physical form, water quality, aquatic life, and hydrology. We also identified and mapped the main threats, which were habitat conversion/degradation, land development, mining/oil industries, and water diversion. We are currently examining the relationship between threats and health of aquatic systems using multivariate analysis in order to develop a model to assess vulnerability. These results will be presented, along with guidelines to improve the sustainable use of natural resources in the region BUY A FISH SAVE A TREE - SAFEGUARDING A SUSTANABLE WILD ORNAMENTAL FISHERY AND ALLEVIATING POVERTY IN THE RIO NEGRO BASIN, AMAZONIA, BRAZIL (PROJECT P). CHAO, NING L.; Silva, Marcio Pinheiro da. Universidade Federal do Amazonas; Departamento de Ciências Pesqueiras Universidade do Amazonas - Projeto Piaba Av. Gal. Rodrigo Otavio Jordão Ramos, 3000 69700- 000 Manaus - AM, Brazil (NLC). Ornamental fishery has been the principal livelihood for riverine communities of the middle Rio Negro basin, since the discovery of cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi) in the 1950s. Those fishes are small with short life span and highly adapted to the water cycle of the region. An annual catch of 20-60 million has provides 60% of local income revenue to thousands families throughout the trade processes. The production is mainly depended on t he international market demand and strongly influenced by the variation of water levels. Is the fishery sustainable? We have found: (1) A single species, cardinal tetra, constitutes over 80% of total catch; any significant changes in its stock or large scale cultivation of these native fishes can eliminate the wild-caught ornamental fishery, which would be disastrous to the local socioeconomic orders and the fate of the ecosystem. (2) Species richness (fish diversity) is much greater than previously known, the role of river channel as a barrier and refuge for floodplain fish is evident. (3) Strong El Niño events (1984 and 1998) have greatly altered the duration of drought and on fishery catch for 2-3 years. (4) The spreading of invasive and exotic species in the region is on going agencies CONDITIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED MANAGEMENT: THE PIRARUCU FISHERY AT THE MAMIRAUÁ RESERVE, AMAZON. CASTELLO, LEANDRO; Viana, João Paulo; Watkins, Graham. Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé AM, Brazil, and College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, 1 Forestry Drive, 242 Illick Hall, Syracuse NY, United States of America, lcastell((AT))syr.edu (LC). Gerência de Gestão de Recursos Pesqueiros, Diretoria de Conservação de Biodiversidade, Ministério do Meio Ambiente, Brasilia, Brazil (JPV). Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Development and Conservation, Georgetown, Guyana (GW). Little knowledge exists about the conditions determining "successful" community-based management (CBM). In an ecosystem characterized by marginalization of local fishers, poorlydeveloped government institutions, and open-access natural resource use regime in the Brazilian Amazon, a model now exists for the CBM of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas). Pirarucu is a giant and obligate air-breathing fish that is vulnerable to extinction. At the Mamirauá Reserve, every year local fishers assess the population of pirarucu by counting the fish at the moment of aerial breathing and then use the data to determine fishing quotas for the next year. The Mamirauá Institute mediates negotiations between the fishers and the government and assists in the selling of the catch. The fishers commit to obeying size, season, and quotaXIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACTS regulations and earn exclusive rights over the local pirarucu. In virtually all of the 30 communities and 2 cities running this model, fishers engaged in the process and had profits doubled and pirarucu populations recovered by doubling in numbers every year. One condition for "successful" CBM appears to be the matching and assignment of the responsibilities of each stakeholder group with the appropriate levels of capacity and scale FUTURE TRENDS IN AMAZON BASIN DISCHARGE AND FLOODPLAIN INUNDATION. COE, MICHAEL T.; Costa, Marcos Heil. Woods Hole Research Center, P.O. Box 296 Woods Hole, MA, 02540, USA, mtcoe((AT))wisc.edu, (MTC), Departamento de Engenharia Agricola, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil. Observational evidence indicates that in tropical regions river discharge generally increases with increasing deforestation. We have recently begun using numerical models to investigate future scenarios of river discharge and flooded area as a result of realistic estimates of deforestation. Simulations have been performed to investigate the sensitivity of the Amazon River system to scenarios representing land cover for the period 2000 to 2050. Two different trajectories of deforestation are investigated: 1) Business as Usual (BAU); and 2) Governance (GOV) under which land cover changes are limited by applied governance rules. In our simulations, deforestation, primarily on the main southern tributaries, increases discharge by 10-15% during the wet season in the GOV simulation with 20-30% of the individual basins deforested. With BAU, the discharge during the wet season increases by 20-25% compared to the modern simulation. Similarly, the flooded area of the basin increases wi th increasing deforestation; for the southern tributaries, the total flooded area during the wet season increases by 15% with GOV and 30% with BAU. The simulations clearly indicate that differences in the trajectories of deforestation are likely to significantly impact the future hydrology of the Amazon River basin POPULATION GENETICS OF COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT CHARACIDS OF THE VÁRZEA: IMPLICATION FOR CONSERVATION. FARIAS, IZENI P.; Vasconcelos, William; Nunes, Mário; Leão, Adam; Mota, Edvaldo; Teixeira, Ailton; Ruffino, Mauro Luis; Santos, Maria. Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal - LEGAL, Departamento de Biologia, I.C.B., Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Estrada do Contorno 3000, Manaus, AM, 60077-000, Brazil, izeni_farias((AT))ufam.edu.br (IPF, MN, AL, EM, AT, SM). Provárzea - IBAMA, Manaus, AM, 60077-000, Brazil (MR). Many characid fishes are commercially important food resource for several Amazonian countries, however, little is known about their population genetics within the huge Amazonas River system. In this category Prochilodus nigricans (curimatã) and Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui) are the two most important characid species of the Amazônia várzea. The tambaqui is also a very important aquiculture species. They are classified as seasonal migratory species which use both lacustrine and riverine environments for reproduction, feeding and dispersal, following the year flood regime of the Amazon River. In the present study we report a population genetic analysis of two mitochondrial DNA gene regions analyzed in approximately 100 individuals per species collected from multiple localities within the Solimões/Amazônas várzea system. Both species show a high level of genetic exchange among localities with no population differentiation through the entire Amazon channel. These findings suggest that each species comprise one evolutionary unit and acts as a panmitic population. Despite other studies suggesting over-exploitation, C. macropomum shows high genetic variability; the same result is observed in P. nigricans. The genetic studies are encouraging for the longterm sustainable management and preservation of healthy stocks of these species, and for acting as a genetic reservoir for aquiculture populations FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FLOODPLAIN. Viers, Joshua H.; Mount, Jeffrey F.; Moyle, Peter B.; Quinn, James F.; HOGLE, INGRID B. University of California - Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA, ibhogle((AT))ucdavis.edu. California has embarked upon an ambitious plan to restore the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem while improving the quality and reliability of its water supply through the CALFED Bay-Delta Authority. The CALFED-funded Cosumnes Research Group joins biologists from three institutions and the Nature Conservancy to examine floodplain dynamics in the Cosumnes watershed. Restoration activities at the Cosumnes River Preserve involve the intentional compromise of flood protection levees to restore the ecosystem benefits of hydrologic connectivity-the exchange of water, sediment, nutrients, food resources and organisms between the Cosumnes River and its surrounding landscape. Our studies of these restoration activities show an increase in primary and secondary production through changes in nutrient composition, subsequent increases in the abundance of native fishes through improved rearing habitat, and improved habitat utilization by a variety of birds and bats due to changes in the composition and structure of adjacent riparian forests. Ongoing studies focus on the role of regional groundwater on the timing and magnitude of river flow, including the impact of evapotranspiration by riparian vegetation, and local groundwater extraction. Study results show that the timing, duration, and magnitude of flood waters have a profound effect upon the dynamics of this freshwater ecosystem COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF PIRARUCU: A PARTICIPATIVE EXPERIENCE IN AMAZÔNIA. Vieira, Elisabeth, F.; Farias, Izeni P.; ESTUPIÑAN, GUILLERMO. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Av. Gen. Rodrigo Octávio Jordão Ramos, 3000, Campus Universitário, Bairro Coroado I, 69077-000, Manaus, AM, Brazil. Important goals for successful management of pirarucu is to know whether traditional systems of management address the immediate needs of the riverine communities, and at the same time are sustainable. Our study integrates a series of research activities and participative work methods, focusing on better understanding of population dynamics, behavior, dispersal and fishery of pirarucu. These studies proceed through monitoring and evaluation of the actual and hypothesized state of exploitation socioeconomic and ambiental indicators. The principles of this evaluation are based on the dynamic alterations of traditional communities in response to growing socioeconomic needs, and on alterations of fishing levels correlated with local population density and with the presence of local consumer markets. The three studied regions are the Costa do Canabuoca in the municipality of Manacapuru, and sets of communities in the middle Juruá and the middle Purus River regions. The communities differ in their use of fisheries resources. Participation of the local users in the data collection and implementation of management methods facilitates the passing of this knowledge to the community, the strengthening of local community organization, which then in turn is better organized to control its natural resources, and for example implement aquiculture and harvest scheme THE ROLE OF LAND USE CHANGES ON THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL FUNCTIONING OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN THE AMAZON. VICTORIA, REYNALDO L.; Ballester, M. V. R.; Krusche, Alex V.; Richey, J.; Kavaguishi, N.; Gomes, B.; Victoria, D.; Montebelo, A.; Neill, Christopher; Deegan, Linda A. CENA/USP, Av. Centenario 303, 13416-000 Piracicaba SP, Brazil, reyna((AT))cena.usp.br. In this study we present the results of an integrated analysis of physical and anthropogenic controls of river biogeochemistry in Amazônia. At the meso-scale level, both soil properties and land use are the main drivers of river biogeochemistry and metabolism. Pasture and soil ECC explains 99% (p < 0.01) of the variability observed in surface water ions and nutrients concentrations. In small rivers, forest clearing can increase cations, P and C inputs. P and light are the main PPL limiting factors in forested streams, while in pasture streams N becomes limiting. Pasture streams on Oxisols have very low P export, while on Ultisols P export is increased. Conversions of forest to pasture leads to extensive growth of in channel Paspalum resulting in higher DOC concentrations and respiration rates. In pasture areas the soil are compacted, there is less infiltration and higher surface run off, leaching soil super- ficial layers and caring more DOC to the streams. Mineralogy and soil properties are key factors determining exports of nutrients to streams. Therefore, land use change effects on nutrient export from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere must be understood within the context of varying soil properties across the Amazon Basin THE IMPORTANCE OF AMAZONIAN RIVERS FOR THE CONSERVATION UNITS LOCATION. VENTICINQUE, EDUARDO M.; Moreira, Marcelo; Neto, Hermógenes B. Wildlife Conservation Society - Andes Amazon Conservation Program, Rua dos Jatobás 274, Coroado III, Manaus, AM, 69085-380, Brazil, eventicinque((AT))wcs.org, (EMV). Projeto Dinâmica Biológica de Fragmentos Florestais, Manaus, AM, 69011-970, CP 478, Brazil (MM, HBN). A number of conservation units (CU) have been created in Amazonas state in the last years. Most recently created CUs are Sustainable Development areas and not Integral Protection areas. In the present study we have analyzed the role of the 14 main rivers of the Brazilian Amazonian basin as barriers for the distribution of mammalian species in the state of Amazonas. Data on species distribution were obtained from the literature. We built a matrix for each of the margins of the 14 rivers considering the presence or absence of 196 mammalian species. The rivers Negro, Solimões and Amazonas were the most effective barriers for the distribution of mammals within Brazilian Amazonia. Differences between species sets in each margin of the same river were 27% (Rio Negro), 27% (Amazonas) and 19% (Solimões). The most affected groups were the monkeys (51%), rabbits (40%), opossumus (26%), cavylike rodents (21%), sloths (17%), rodents (16%) and carnivores (6%). As most of the conservation units designed for integral protection are north of Rio Solimões-Amazonas and west of Rio Negro, there is an expressive number of mammal species which are not protected in the state of Amazonas AQUATIC INSECTS IN VÁRZEA LAKES: ARE THERE CONCORDANT BIOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS AMONG ECOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT GROUPS? DE MARCO JR., PAULO; Nessimian, Jorge L.; Hamada, Neusa; Ferreira Jr, Nelson. Laboratório de Ecologia Quantitativa; DBG; Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000; Viçosa, Minas Gerais Brazil; pdemarco((AT))ufv.br. The Várzea floodplains are a major components of the Amazon basin. However, there is little little information about its insects, a group that represent different ecological guilds and thus could be useful as indicators of ecosystem function. We collected aquatic insects associated to the floating macrophyte Eichhornia crassipes, in 26 sites along the Várzea of the Amazon River in order to use this data to discuss the use of aquatic insects as a component to determine conservation priorities in Várzea. We used data from Odonata, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera to determine patterns on species compositio n, richness and beta diversity, assuming that these groups vary greatly in ecological characteristics including predators that use very different habitats, herbivores with very distinctive particle size selection and also collectors. We capture ca. 350000 specimens with 178 taxa and 61 new records. There is a substantial variation in the response of those groups but the main concordant biogeographic patterns are the existence of a difference in composition and diversity among sites before and after the rio Negro in the middle Amazon, and a possible distinction of the areas near the estuarine, after the Tapajós River FRESHWATER KEY BIODIVERSITY AREAS IN AFRICA. DARWALL, WILLIAM R. T.; Smith, Kevin G.; Vié, Jean-Christophe. IUCN - The World Conservation Union USE OF MULTI-TIME SEQUENCES OF RADAR JERS-1 SAR IMAGES TO ESTIMATE MONTHLY VARIATION IN HABITAT AVAILABILITY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON A FISH COMMUNITY. VEGA-CORREDOR, MARÍA; Forsberg, Bruce; Arruda, Warley C. Laboratorio de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Centro de Pesquisas em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Av. Efigenio Sales 2239, 69011-970, Manaus, AM. Brazil, mariacvc((AT))hotmail.com (WR, BF, MCV). The flood pulse produces cyclical variations in aquatic habitat availability, creating expansion and contraction of flooded areas. This, in turn, causes changes in shelter and food resource availability for fish communities, forcing them to adapt to varying conditions. Remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are proving useful in evaluations of how changes in flooded wetland habitats and impacts of human activities affect the distribution of the fish communities utilizing these habitats. The objective of this research was to determine how changes in habitat availability influenced the structure of a fish community in a floodplain lake. A multi-time sequence of radar JERS-1 SAR images was classified to estimate the monthly variation in habitat availability (open water, aquatic macrophyte beds, and flooded forest). Fish were collected monthly between January and November 2003 in the three types of habitat. Fish community structure did not differXIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACTS between habitats, as the majority of species were caught in whatever habitats were available at the particular time of the year. With respect to variations in seasonal flooding, the results demonstrate a high level of plasticity in the utilization of available food resources and shelter by the icthiofauna associated with these habitats BUILDING CAPACITY FOR FRESHWATER ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO. UPGREN, AMY; Pinder, Laurenz; Kimura de Freitas, Glauco. Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Levine Science Research Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA, aupgren((AT))yahoo.com (AU). The Nature Conservancy, Central South America Savannas, SHIN Centro de Atividades 05, Conjunto J Bloco B Salas 301-309, Brasília, DF, 71.503 Brazil (LP, GF). The growth of agricultural production in the Brazilian Cerrado has substantially affected the natural landscape. To understand and document the effects of agricultural expansion on river systems in the Cerrado, assessment programs that evaluate a broad range of ecological functions are necessary. Recognizing this need, The Nature Conservancy of Brazil (TNC) developed a comprehensive river assessment program, which evaluates the water quality, biological condition, and physical habitat structure of river systems, with the aim of transferring the assessment program to the environmental agency of the state of Goiás. To allow for the adoption of the assessment into the state's monitoring program, TNC analyzed the agency's existing resources and capabilities, took them into account while designing the assessment program, and built capacity by developing and implementing a training course to instruct agency biologists to use the assessment. The environmental agency of Goiás has begun applying the assessment on two rivers in the state and is currently integrating the assessment into its freshwater monitoring program. TNC's approach, which identified the agency's current capabilities and focused capacitybuilding efforts on enhancing those capabilities, provides a useful example of a strategy to improve regional capacity for ecological assessments "FISHES" AND "STONES" TO IMPLEMENT FISHERY CO-MANAGEMENT IN THE UPPER SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL. THÉ, ANA PAULA GLINFSKOI; Mancuso, Maria Inês; Cerdeira, Regina; Santos, Gilvandra Silva; Apel, Marcelo; Madeira, Thaís; Macnaughton, Alison. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Ciências Sociais, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 235, 13560-000, São Carlos, SP, Brazil, anathecomanej((AT)) yahoo.com.br. This paper describes participatory research which is being carried out since 2004 by the Instituto Amazônico de Manejo dos Recursos Ambientais (IARA) and the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), with collaboration of other partners of the Project "Fish, People and Water." The work is facilitating the establishment of fishery co-management with the professional artisanal fishermen in the São Francisco River in Minas Gerais state, bringing the experience from Amazon region of fishery agreements ("acordos de pesca") to the São Francisco region. Six towns are in the pilot study, ranging from Três Marias to just north of Pirapora. This involves four fisheries "colônias" and represents about 450 fishing families. Seven activities were carried out to promote community empowerment and governmental decentralization in the management of fishery resources. The dialogue between community and governmental agencies was established and legal instruments for co-management now exist. Considerable progress has been made towards strengthening the fisheries organizations and their expression, but considerable more work is still needed to bring concrete and sustainable returns to the community, and it is still unclear what form of fisheries co-management will eventually be established COMMUNITY-BASED MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES IN AMAZONIA. SILVA-FORSBERG, M. C. Gerencia dos Estudo Estratégicos, Provarzea-Ibama, Rua Min. João G. de Souza, Distrito Industrial. 69075-830- Manaus- AM- Brasil. Communities are managing local fisheries such as lakes on the Amazon River through fishing accords which restrict access to users from outside of the community. In recent decades with increasing population pressure and commercialization, conflicts between local and non-locals have arisen. Since no users have the right to restrict access, the Brazilian Government found a way to solve the conflicts and to conserve the fish species by legalizing the involvement of communities in the management of resources through fishing accords (Portarias) taking advantage of their existing management practices and knowledge. To formulate and implement the Portarias, however, communities need some technical, economical and institutional support. In this paper we present the results of some promising initiatives in community fisheries management supported by ProVarzea/Ibama (Project Management of the Natural Resources of the Várzea). In Silves, for example, in the state of Amazonas, 19 communities (548 families and 2700 people) implemented fishing accords which resulted in the increase of fishing stocks, wild animals and the productivity of subsistence fishing. Thus, an effective way to make conservation work is by supporting local communities in their effort to elaborate, establish and implement management practices of wetland resources MANAGING FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS FOR BIODIVERSITY AND HUMAN WELL-BEING: INDICATORS TO MEASURE PROGRESS. REVENGA, CARMEN; Bryer, Mark; de Villiers, Pierre. Global Priorities Group, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203-1606, USA, crevenga((AT))tnc.org (CR, MB). Department of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs, Private Bag X20801, Bloemfontein 9300, Free State Province, South Africa, devilp((AT))dteea.fs.gov (PV). Human activities have severely affected the condition of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Physical alteration, water withdrawal, pollution, overexploitation, and the introduction of nonnative species all contribute to the decline in freshwater biodiversity. In North America alone, the projected extinction rate for freshwater fauna is five times greater than that for terrestrial fauna–a rate comparable to the species loss in tropical rainforests. Human population growth and development will place even higher demands on already stressed freshwater ecosystems, unless an integrated approach to managing water for people and nature is more broadly implemented. We report on a global assessment of the extent and quality of data available about populations of freshwater species, and change in the extent and condition of natural freshwater habitats and propose a suite of indicators that can be applied at multiple scales to fill some information gaps. The indicators we propose can be used to measure progress in halting the rapid decline in freshwater species, and to craft policies that support an integrated approach to water management, taking into account development and biodiversity goals FRESHWATER TURTLE GATHERING IN JAÚ NATIONAL PARK, AMAZONAS, BRAZIL. PEZZUTI, J. C. B.; Félix-Silva, D.; Lima, J. P.; Begossi, A. Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA, Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos-NAEA Campus Universitário do Guamá, Rua Augusto Corrêa 01, CEP 66075- 110 Belém, PA, Brazil. The relationship between human populations of the Rio Negro River basin and the vertebrate fauna was studied, with emphasis on freshwater turtles. The areas studied between 1997 and 2002 were the Jaú, Carabinani and Unini Rivers, that together represent the main drainage basin of the Jaú National Park (PNJ). Study methods included the application of hunting calendars, the collections of the skulls of hunted animals, interviews and direct observation of hunting and fishing, as well as personal experimentation with local fishing and hunting techniques. Freshwater turtle fishing strategies are highly diversified and subject to spatialABSTRACTS Universidade de Brasília, Brazil, July 2005 and temporal variations in use, production and selectivity. The most common turtle hunting technique, a baiting and harpooning combination called "baliza", was employed in 37,5% of the hunts. This was highly productive (17,9 kg of game per hunter per day) and selective for the bir-headed Amazonian turtle (Peltocephalus dumerilianus), the most consumed turtle species. Some techniques are seasonal and related to the annual flooding cycle of the river. Among these, the capture of nesting "tracajá" females (Podocnemis unifilis), either manually or in traps, and the capture of this species in dry season aggregations are considered to represent the most serious impacts CONSERVATION OF FISHERIES IN THE AMAZON BASIN - DISCUSSION AND CONCLUDING REMARKS. PEREIRA, HENRIQUE S. Instituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renováveis, R. Min. João Gonçalves de Souza s/n - Km 01 BR 319-DI - 69.075-830, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, henrique.pereira((AT))ibama.gov.br. Fishery is a vital socioeconomic activity all over the Amazon basin and the need for sustainable conservation strategies are increasingly gaining significance as deforestation, commercial exploitation and demographic pressure are putting fish stocks at risk. Fish conservation effectiveness will improve if new scientific knowledge is brought into the methodological approaches for each guild and management unit or dimension. By focusing on ecological and genetic available data for the main target species and confronting conventional policies with innovative management ongoing experiences, this symposium offers opportunities to built epistemological links between sociopolitical and biological aspects of Amazonian fisheries conservation. Metapopulation models used to explain genetic data patterns also suggest the suitability of combining local (micro) and regional (basin) management a pproaches. At local level, sub-population of sedentary species are being protected at managed fishery grounds (floodplain lakes) where capture is forbidden during reproduction season and fishing quotas and other restrictions are strictly observed by local actors and monitored by governmental agencies. Seasonal migratory species also benefits from such strategies as their growth areas at the floodplain are preserved. Large migratory channel catfishes, identified and highlighted as single populations begin to be adequately managed as fishery restrictions and rules are unified at regional level VERTEBRATE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN AMAZONIAN SEASONALLY FLOODED AND UNFLOODED FORESTS. PERES, CARLOS A. Centre for Ecology, EvolutionXIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACTS & Conservation, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK, C.Peres((AT))uea.ac.uk. Amazonian floodplain forests are one of the most seasonally variable habitats anywhere in the tropics. I present data from a standardized series of line-transect censuses of forest vertebrate assemblages of western Brazilian Amazonia occurring at ten flooded ("várzea") and fourteen unflooded ("terra firme") sampling sites. Terra firme forests invariably contained richer bird and mammal species assemblages than did adjacent várzea forests, but faunal interchanges between forest types is a typical feature of the terra firme-várzea interface. There was a clear habitat-dependent positive association among vertebrate species, particularly within várzea forests, as well as marked shifts in guild structure between forest types. Species turnover between these two forest types involved primarily ground-dwelling and understory insectivores, which were usually absent from inundated forest on a seasonal basis. On the other hand, large-bodied arboreal folivores such as howler monkeys and sloths were rare in terra firme forests, but extremely abundant in annually flooded várzea and supraannually flooded floodplain forests. This can be largely explained by the predictable flood pulse and nutrient-rich alluvial soils of young floodplains, compared to the heavily weathered terra firme soils occurring even within short distances of major white-water tributaries of the Amazon. This study clearly shows a reverse diversity-density pattern resulting from the lower species richness, but high overall community biomass of seasonally flooded Amazonian forests, which can now be generalized to other terrestrial vertebrate taxa PATTERNS OF AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY IN THE AMAZON BASIN. FERREIRA, LEANDRO. Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia (CCTE), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), Avenida Perimetral 1901, Bairro Terra Firme,66077-530, Belém, Pará, Brazil, lvferreira((AT))museugoeldi. br. The Amazon basin is comprised of the Amazon River and its tributaries, defined as those areas periodically or permanently flooded by freshwater. This includes permanently flooded areas such as lakes or swamps as well as periodically flooded areas along the edges of rivers and lakes. These flooded areas encompass a variety of soil conditions (sand, mud and clay) and various physical and chemical-based aquatic classifications (saltwater influence, white freshwater, clear freshwater, black freshwater). The continuous and branching Amazon basin extends along the narrow borders of the rivers to cover an area of approximately 660,500 km2, including a wide variety of ecological and biological features to maintain by the cyclical fluctuation of water levels. We have identified four major objectives for the conservation of the Amazon basin: (1) Guarantee representation of all existing habitat types; (2) Maintain terrestrial and aquatic connectivity, both lateral and longitudinal; (3) Preserve hydrological and sedimentation cycles and (4) Maintain viable populations of species of special concern, including endemic species, typical species, and economically important species. The objective of this presentation will be described how these processes can be affect the Patterns of Aquatic biodiversity in the Amazon basin SUSTAINABLE HARVEST OF TWO LARGE PREDATORY CATFISH IN THE CUIABÁ RIVER BASIN, NORTHERN PANTANAL, BRAZIL. PENHA, JERRY M. F.; Mateus, Lúcia A. F. Laboratório de Ecologia e Manejo de Recursos Pesqueiros, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, 78060-900, Brazil. Fishery may reduce adult mean size, size at first maturity, and mean individual growth rate of exploited populations. These changes affect the structure and dynamics of target populations and can lead to the growth or recruitment overfishing. This study assesses the structure, exploitation and stock management of Hemisorubim platyrhynchos and Sorubim cf. lima, the sixth and seventh largest Pimelodidae catfish of the Pantanal. The analysis is based on fish caught by commercial fishing in the Cuiabá river and landed at the "Antônio Moysés Nadaf" Market in the Cuiabá city, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The findings indicate that commercial fishing activities target several fish cohorts and that usually only individuals above mean length at first maturation are caught. Estimates of the instantaneous mortality coefficient show that the current fishing mortality is low. Simulations of relative yield-per-recruit model demonstrate that the current yield of two species could be greater if fishery effort were increased, indicating that the stocks are underexploited. However, an increase in current fishery effort should be viewed with caution, since the stockrecruitment relationship for the species is unknown. The results indicate that the current harvest of two species in the Cuiabá River Basin is sustainable THE AMAZON RIVER AND FLOODPLAIN: OVERVIEW OF WWF-BRAZIL CONSERVATION PLANNING FOR A FRESHWATER ECOREGION. OVIEDO, ANTONIO; Scaramuzza, Carlos A. M.; Meneses Filho, Luis C.L. WWF-Brazil, SHIS EQ QL6/8, Conj. E, Brasília-DF, 71620-430, Brazil, antonio((AT))wwf.org.br (AO, CAMS, LCLMF). The Amazon River and Floodplain Ecoregion is defined as those areas periodically or permanently flooded by freshwater in the Amazon basin. The prominence of ecological processes in shaping habitats, aquatic species and human activities creates a challenge for long-term conservation of the Ecoregion's biodiversity features. The biodiversity vision is a planning tool developed to protect adequately the biodiversity, habitats and human activities. The Biodiversity Vision represents the minimum requirements in terms of areas and management practices, to guarantee the conservation of biodiversity in perpetuity. It highlights the most important areas of the ecoregion where efforts should be focused, and helps stakeholders to plan their strategies toward a co-management of varzea resources. The following objectives were established to define the conservation landscape for the biodiversity vision: Guarantee representation of all existing habitat types; Maintain terrestrial and aquati c connectivity, both lateral and longitudinal; Preserve hydrological and sedimentation cycles; Maintain viable populations of endemic species, typical species, and economically important species. The result of this prioritization exercise is a set of 16 priority catchments. Now WWF-Brazil is applying a systematic conservation planning framework with the use of decision support system to improve the implementation of the biodiversity vision action plan.XIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACT REMNANT DIVERSE HAPLOCHROMINE CICHLID COMMUNITIES IN KENYAN WATERS OF LAKE VICTORIA. MURBI, HARRISON C.; Muchiri, Mucai S.; Liti, David; De Vos, Luc. Department of Fisheries, Moi University, P.O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya (MSM). Department of Zoology, Moi University, P.O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya (DL). Ichthyology Department, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi 00100, Kenya (LD, posthumous). Haplochromine cichlids in Lake Victoria have declined dramatically due to Nile perch (Lates niloticus) introduction, eutrophication and overfishing. This study showed that a large number of haplochromines species still exist in sizable numbers and trophic groups at least in the five (Homa Bay, Mbita, Osieko, Litare and Kisumu) sites sampled in 2000. Form features were used to identify trophic groups. Morphometric measurements (analyzed with principal component analysis) were used to delineate species. From a sample of 141 individuals, we identified 36 species in 10 trophic groups. Epilithic algivores were most abundant numerically, but oral mollusc shellers had the highest species number. Surprisingly, the few zooplanktivores (n=15) segregated into 6 species. No piscivores were observed. This large number of species for such a small sample size showed that, even though the haplochromines have declined over time, there is still a considerable species richness at least in the areas investigated. Thus, there remains hope for the preservation of haplochromine diversity after the upsurge of the Nile Perch and the increase in pollution and fishing pressure. The lack of formerly-abundant piscivores is of great concern. Conservation measures are needed urgently to stave off further extinction LAND USE CHANGE AND IMPACTS ON AQUATIC SYSTEMS IN THE ANDEAN HEADWATERS OF THE AMAZON. MCCLAIN, MICHAEL; Blanco, Andrea; Celi, Jorge; Gann, Daniel; Mena, Carlos; Waggoner, Lindsey. Department of Environmental Studies, Florida International University, Miami Florida 33199, USA, michael.mcclain((AT))fiu.edu. The Amazon's Andean headwaters harbor a rich assemblage of species and habitats critical to the aquatic biodiversity of the larger Amazon system. This region is also home to some of the highest human population densities and most widespread land conversion in the Amazon; at least 40% of the region has been either converted to human uses or fragmented by these uses. Over the past 5 years we have investigated land use patterns and change and associated impacts on aquatic ecosystems in the Andean Amazon portions of Ecuador and Peru. Increased rates of land cover conversion are most associated with increased population density and proximity to roads and rivers. Changes in land-use configuration vary mainly as a function of biophysical factors; no significant differences are observed between indigenous and colonist communities inhabiting the same basin. Water and habitat quality in rivers vary as a function of adjoining and upriver land uses. Rivers flowing through agricultural and ranching areas carry increased sediment loads, have elevated temperatures, pH and PO4 concentrations, and lower oxygen. Macroinvertebrate communities vary according to land use and are most severely impacted downstream on towns. Aquatic biodiversity preservation in the region requires increased attention by managers COMMERCIAL FISHERIES & COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT OF FLOODPLAIN LAKES: MODELLING THE IMPACTS OF THE CUIABÁ-SANTARÉM HIGHWAY, BR-163. LORENZEN, KAI; Almeida, Oriana T. Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK, k.lorenzen((AT))imperial.ac.uk (KL); IPAM, Av. Nazaré, 669, Centro, 66035-170 Belém, PA, Brazil, oriana((AT)) ipam.org.br (OA). The Cuiabá-Santarém Highway (BR-163) is likely to expand the market for fisheries products from the lower Amazon. We use a bio-economic model to predict the impacts of market expansion on fisheries in tyhe Santarem region, and evaluate management measures to address potential negative impacts. Amazonian fisheries are exploited by both commercial and subsistence-oriented fishers, and conflicts between the two sectors are a key driver of management initiatives in the basin. The model is built around a simple general relationship between effort and aggregated multi-species catch, and parameterized for the Santa rem region of the lower Amazon where subsistence-oriented fishing accounts for about 70% of total effort. While the fishery is only moderately exploited biologically, market limitation means that the commercial fishery operates at the open access equilibrium and further expansion is economically impossible unless demand increases substantially. Market expansion due to better transport links with inland areas is likely to lead to a dramatic increase in fishing effort. Access controls to maintain ecologically and economically sustainable levels of effort can be put into effect now with little social costs, and will be highly beneficial to the fishery when market expansion occurs POPULATION GENETIC ANALYSIS OF Arapaima gigas: IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION. HRBEK, TOMAS; Crossa, Marcelo; Sampaio, Iracilda; Farias, Izeni P. Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal, Departamento de Biologia, I.C.B., Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Estrada do Contorno 3000, Manaus, AM, 60077 Brazil, tomas_hrbek((AT))ufam.edu.br (TH, IPF). Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR, 00931-3360, Puerto Rico (TH). Projecto Várzea, Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Santarém, PA, 68005 Brazil (MC). Núcleo de Estudo Costeiros, Campus da Bragança, Universidade Federal do Pará, PA, 68600-000, Brazil (IS). In the present study we report a population genetic analysis of Arapaima gigas, and its implication for conservation and management. Arapaima is an important, but critically over-exploited giant food fish of the Amazonian várzea. Analysis of 2347 b. p. of mtDNA, and 14 variable microsatellite loci from 139 individuals sampled in seven localities within the Amazon basin suggests that Arapaima forms a continuous population with extensive genetic exchange among localities. Weak effect of isolation-bydistance is observed in microsatellite data, but not mtDNA data. Arapaima has low genetic diversity, and it shows a signature of genetic bottleneck in the middle and lower reaches of the Amazon system, areas of heaviest exploitation. Spatial autocorrelation analysis of genetic and geographic data suggests that genetic exchange is significantly restricted at distances greater than 2800 km. We recommend implementing a source-sink metapopulation management and conservation model by creating high quality várzea reserves separated by distances less than 2800 km. This conservation strategy would: 1) preserve all of the current genetic diversity of Arapaima; 2) create a set of reserves to supply immigrants for locally depleted populations; 3) preserve core várzea areas in the Amazon basin on which many other species depend ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELING OF STREAMS FISHES BASED ON PRESENCE/ABSENCE DATA, CORUMBATAÍ RIVER BASIN, SAO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL. GERHARD, PEDRO; Ferraz, Kátia M. P. B.; Verdade, Luciano M. Laboratório de Ecologia Animal, Departamento de Zootecnia, ESALQ, Univerdade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Cx. P. 09, 13418 Brazil, kferraz((AT))esalq.usp.br (PG, KMPMBF, LMV). Ecological modeling can be a useful tool for species and habitat management and conservation. This study aimed to elaborate predictive models for rare and widespread species based on ecological niche modeling by GARP (Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction). Fish presence and absence data were collected in the field during 2003 and 2004 for 60 study sites in the Corumbataí river basin, São Paulo state, Brazil. This data and GIS environmental variables were used to generate individual models in Desktop GARP. Model validation was made by the confusion matrix, chisquare tests and quantitative indexes. The best subset of variables common to the most models were the satellite image, land use/land cover, digital elevation model, soil and the geology map. Predictions of presence and absence were highly statistically significant when tested with independent occurrence data for all species. The predictive models allowed identifying upland and lowland species as well as species that are sensitive to riparian deforestation. These models can be used to define priority areas for conservation. Based on that we strongly recommend the use of GARP to predict fish spatial distribution, at least in regional scale. Sponsor: FAPESP THE INFLUENCE OF DAMS ON THE MIGRATORY FISH Prochilodus lineatus, IN RIO GRANDE (BRAZIL). GARCEZ, RIVIANE; Almeida-Toledo, Lurdes F. Laboratório de Ictiogenética do Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brasil, rivigarcez((AT))yahoo.com.br. P. lineatus has a great importance for Rio Grande's fishing. The construction of dams in this area affected populations of migratory fishes, like P. lineatus, that can not swim through them. For programs of fishing management, analyses about the influence of dams are necessary. Genetic markers are useful for these. Individuals of four different places were analyzed: Cardoso (n=26), Colombia (n=25), Igarapava (n=16) (Rio Grande), and Jaborandi (n=16) (Rio Pardo), with PCR-RFLP from DLoop region of mtDNA. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity within populations and the nucleotide divergence and diversity between populations were calculated. For Rio Grande, a little decrescent tendency in the values of diversity upstream was observed. Biggest values were found in Rio Pardo. Interpopulation analysis showed the smallest index between the localities of Rio Grande, while the biggest were found between those and Rio Pardo. These data indicate: there are genetic differences between the rivers, and the localities of Rio Grande must be considered as a single genetic stock. Programs of re-stocking and the continuous lost of habitats upstream must influence the values of diversity in Rio Grande when compared to Rio Pardo. More researches on migratory fishes in areas of dams must be realized. FAPESP THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF AQUATIC MERCURY CONTAMINATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON. FORSBERG, BRUCE; Belger, Lauren; Peleja, Reinaldo; Zeidemann, Vivian. Coordenacao de Pesquisas em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, CP 478, Manaus, AM 69011-970, Brazil, forsberg((AT))vivax.com.br. High concentrations of mercury have been encountered in fish, soils and human hair collected in various parts of the Amazon basin. These elevated concentrations are often attributed to anthropogenic pollution from gold mining operations. However some of the highest levels of mercury contamination have been found is isolated black water tributaries far from any industrial activity. Recent findings suggest that most of the mercury present in the Amazon ecosystem is, in fact, derived from natural processes and that its distribution in the basin is determined more by river chemistry and wetland densities than by anthropogenic influences. I summarize these findings here and present an updated overview of the biogeochemistry of mercury in the Amazon basin. Current information on the distribution and dynamics of mercury in the region, including anthropogenic influences, are evaluated in the context of the regional and global mercury cycles. Mercury concentrations in fish and human hair are shown to be highly correlated with river pH and wetland densities. Mercury concentrations are should to be naturally high in most central Amazonian soils CONSERVATION INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY: FISHERIES CO-MANAGEMENT IN MALAWI. DOBSON, TRACY; Chimatiro, Sloans; Russell, Aaron. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Bldg., East Lansing, MI 48824-1222, USA (TD, AR) Director, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs, P.O. Box 593, Lilongwe, Malawi (SC). In response to the crash of key nearshore fish stocks in Lakes Malawi and Malombe, in 1993 Malawi's Department of Fisheries, aided by donors GTZ and UNDP, launched a pilot project at Lake Malombe to test the viability of using co-management as a strategy to move towards sustainable fisheries. Up to that time the Department had employed a top down, command-and-control approach. Early results were promising, but failure of the Department to follow through on certain commitments and to relinquish some measure of control, as well as no improvement in the stocks led to disillusionment among fishers. An evaluation of the program to date, detailing a variety of weaknesses, measured against the best practices for collaboratively designing and implementing location-appropriate co-management, as described by Ostrom et al (2002), provides valuable guidance for the Department's new leadership as it seeks to reshape its troubled program THE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF IMPACTS AS A STRATEGY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE PIRARUCU IN THE AMAZON BASIN. CROSSA, MARCELO. Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia - IPAM; Av. Rui Barbosa 136 CEP: 68.005-080 Santarém, Pará crossa((AT))ipam.org.br; Del Aguila Chaves, Javier. Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales - INRENA, Ricardo Palma 113 Iquitos, Peru, jadelach((AT))viabcp.com.XIX Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology ABSTRACTS Floodplains are essential to the conservation of Amazon aquatic biodiversity. The degradation and fragmentation of habitat along the Amazon River, combined with increasing fishing pressure, have depleted stocks of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), a species that can reach 2.85 meters length and a weight of 200 kg. The pirarucu has a boney tongue, must breathe air and builds nests and cares for young until they reach 30-40cm. The species is considered to be sedentary, but they do undertake trophic migrations and/or disperse during large floods. The first studies of pirarucu fisheries, ecology and population dynamics were begun in the early 1990's. These studies indicate that the species reacts positively to protection of lakes and thanks to the potential for monitoring these stocks, it has become a key species for fisheries management. Participatory research and collective management plans are being developed, although new studies are needed to consolidate these advances and contribute to new management strategies. In this paper we discuss the concept of adaptive management of impacts as a strategy for guiding management processes, with emphasis on user participation in the development, implementation, monitoring and revision of management systems FISH AGREEMENT AND THE EXCLUSION OF COMMERCIAL FISHER IN THE LOWER AMAZON. ALMEIDA, ORIANA T. Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia - IPAM - Av. Nazaré 669, Centro, 66.035-170 Belém, PA, Brazil, oriana((AT))ipam.org.br (OTA). The expansion of fishing activities by commercial fishers in the last 30 years originated a series of disputes between commercial and small scale fishers in the Amazon floodplain. Aiming at reducing this pressure over the resource, small scale fishers started to close their lakes to commercial fishers, escalating the conflicts between these two groups. To reduce these conflicts, the federal government approved a law in 1998 that allowed communities to regulate fishing in their lakes (managed lakes), but did not permit the exclusion of commercial fishers. This research had the objective to understand the impact of federal legislation on the traditional small scale fisher in the Lower Amazon. This was done by comparing 9 managed communities with 9 communities without management. The results showed that although communities cannot directly exclude commercial fisher, their rules do just that. The rules created are loose enough to permit the fisherman to keep the subsistence fishing activities without any additional restriction (no effort reduction) and, at the same time, are restricted enough to turn commercial fishing economically unfeasible. In this way small scale fishers not only eliminate commercial fishing activities, but also increase productivity in the lakes in the lower Amazon. FISHBASE FOR THE AMERICAS: IMPROVING ACCESS TO BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. Beard, Douglas; Canonico, Gabrielle; Grosse, Andrea; Batista, Yabanex; MOSESSO, JOHN. U.S. Geological Survey National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 302, Reston, Virginia, 20192, USA. FishBase is an online global database containing information on over 28,500 species. The information contained on the site includes scientific and common names, pictures, references, key facts, graphs, reports, data for download, support for the parametrization of ecosystem models, and various tools such as trophic pyramids for major ecosystems. FishBase includes Western Hemisphere data, though content is incomplete for many species. For example, photos, point data for maps, and biological information are often missing. The regional use by countries participating in the InterAmerican Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN) could probably be increased if more common names used in the region were included. The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Node (FAR) is working with FishBase and IABIN to enhance Western Hemisphere fisheries information within FishBase by incorporating regional search capabilities, South American fisheries biodiversity maps, Columbian fisheries information, and common names in the various languages. NBII will also provide deep links to existing information in its system. NBII seeks to provide the Western Hemisphere natural resource community with better access to FishBase information, and to improve data content and data quality of fisheries and biodiversity data available to experts and lay persons. CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE AMAZON CATFISHES BY THE GENETIC RESEARCH. BATISTA, JACQUELINE S.; Formiga-Aquino, Kyara; Farias, Izeni P.; Bertucchi-Vogt, Naiara A.; Marão-Siqueira, Tatiana; Alves-Gomes, José A. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Av. André Aruaújo 2936 Petrópolis, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, CEP: 69060-001, jac((AT))inpa.gov.br (LTBM/COPE). The commercialization of catfishes in the Amazon includes national and international markets; 70% of the captured species are the piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii) and the dourada (B. rousseauxii) of the family Pimelodidae. These two species are captured by commercial and artisanal fishermen along the main Solimões/Amazonas channel. Information in DNA molecules can be used for phylogeographic and population studies as a tool for conservation and management of species. This study investigates the genetic variability of piramutaba and dourada along the Solimões/Amazonas channel, and potential differentiations of stocks for each species. Samples from 30 individuals of each species were collected at five localities along the Solimões/Amazonas channel and at five tributaries of this system. Analyses show there is no association of genetic differentiation and geographic separation of sampling localities in both species. Although not significant, the estuary region and tributary headwaters have higher genetic variability than upper Solimões. These results indicate that all regions are highly connected. The system has to be managed as a whole, conserving both the tributary headwater breeding areas and the estuary feeding area, as well as the main Solimões/Amazonas channel which serves as a corridor between these to regions. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NILE TILAPIA, Oreochromis niloticus, IN LAKES AND RESERVOIRS OF BRAZIL: A THREAT TO THE GLOBAL DIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER FISH SP. ATTAYDE, JOSÉ LUIZ. Departamento de Botânica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil, attayde((AT))cb.ufrn.br. Brazil has the largest diversity of freshwater fish species of the world but has imported several species in the last decades for aquaculture and fisheries purposes. The Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, has been largely introduced in Brazil since the 70´s and is now one of the most widespread exotic fish species in the country. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the Nile tilapia introduction on the reservoir fisheries in the northeast of Brazil. The CPUE or catches per unit of effort (Kg/fisherman/year) before (1971-1975) and after (1976-2000) the establishment of the Nile tilapia in the reservoirs were compared and the results show that the CPUE of several indigenous species were significantly reduced after the establishment of the Nile tilapia in the reservoir s. These results suggest that the introduction of the Nile tilapia in the reservoirs altered the structure of the fish communities, with negative consequences for the indigenous fish species. The mechanisms that must have accounted for these effects are resource competition with other species and modification of the water quality through changes in turbidity and eutrophication mediated by fish. Tilapia introductions should be considered a threat to the global diversity of freshwater fishes. TOWARDS A BASIN-WIDE STRATEGY FOR CONSERVING THE AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY OF THE AMAZON BASIN. ABELL, ROBIN; McGrath, David. World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St. NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA, robin.abell((AT))wwfus.org, (RA); Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil. 66.075-900, dmcgrath((AT))amazon.com.br (DM). Conservation biologists and managers agree that river basins are appropriate units for freshwater biodiversity and water resource planning and implementation, but how can this principle be applied to the Amazon River Basin, the largest watershed in the world? What elements of planning and implementation need to extend across the entire Amazon, and which can be targeted over smaller areas, from sub-basins down to individual water bodies? In this presentation we address these questions, drawing from work in the Amazon and in other large river basins around the world. We argue that while important work can and does occur over smaller areas, a basin-wide plan that identifies the scales over which drivers and threats operate is critical to ensuring that basinwide processes are maintained. We present a step-wise framework for basin-wide planning in the Amazon, and also discuss necessary institutional mechanisms for implementation, especially considering the transnational nature of the basin. We also discuss how smaller-scale innovations can be either scaled up or replicated. We conclude with a discussion of research and collaborative needs, including ways of integrating terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity conservation that capitalize on efforts to designate protected areas. FISH BIODIVERSITY FROM PARANÃ RIVER VALLEY, BRAZIL. AQUINO, PEDRO D. P. U.; Ramalho, Alessandro M. B.; Martins-Silva, Maria Júlia; Rocha-Miranda, Fabio. Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, 70.919-900, Brazil, pedropua((AT))pop.com.br. Stream fish present high endemism tax and are little resistant to habitat degradation, so they are considered good bioindicators of water quality. The Paranã River is an affluent of the Tocantins- Araguaia basin, one of most import basins of Brazil. Fifteen sites were sampled along Paranã River basin, using gill nets and drag nets. In the Characiformes Order has been found specimens from Characidae, Anostomidae, Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Cynodontidae, Gasteropelecidae, Hemiodontidae, Erythrinidae and Crenuchidae families. Gymnotiformes were represented by Sternopygidae, Hypopomidae and Apteronotidae families. Individuals of Loricariidae, Pimelodidae and Doradidae families represented the Siluriformes order. The Ciclidae family was the only representing of Perciformes order. The high richness and density of fish species in the Paranã River Valley evidences the good wealth of aquatic microhabitats, showing the necessity of conservation efforts of these environments. THE MANAGEMENT OF MIGRATORY FISHES. BARTHEM, RONALDO; Goulding, Michael. Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Brazil; University of Florida, USA. The catch of the migratory species represents about 70-90% of the total landing in the biggest cities of the Amazon Basin. These species may be grouped into two categories: (i) the lowland migratory species, that migrate hundreds of kilometer along the lowland Amazon basin; and (ii) the Andes-estuary migratory species, that migrate thousand of kilometers between estuary and Andes. The jaraqui (Semaprochilodus spp.) migration in the Rio Negro are well understand, and their migratory pattern is usually a reference of the studies of others lowland migratory species. The tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) migration along muddy, black, and clear waters rivers in the Madeira Basin is also well known. These species spawn in the muddy-water and its eggs-larva drift downriver up to 15 days. The down river floodplains area is their nursery zones. Others migratory characoid species show similar migration pattern. The Andes-estuary migration is a strategy adopted by at least two catfish species: dourada (Brachyplatystoma rousseaux) and piramutaba (B. vaillantii). They spawn close to the Andes area and their eggs-larva drift downriver to the estuary. The estuary is their nursery zone. The management of the Andes-estuary migration must obviously consider all Amazon Basin. In the other hand, the management of lowland migration considers only a restricted area, in general that where the local fishing fleet is fishing. However, the lowland migration behavior works like a pearl neck chain, where each pear would be a single module of migration. It module receives the adult migrating up river and the larva drifting down river. The stock depletion in several parts of the Amazon may threaten the lowland migratory species. A DIAGNOSIS OF USE AND CONFLICTS WITH MANMADE FACTORS FOR THE MARINE TUCUXI DOLPHIN IN AND AROUND A PROTECTED AREA IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL. BAZZALO, MARIEL; Flores, Paulo A.C. Ph.D. Candidate in Biological Sciences, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, mbazzalo((AT))hotmail.com (MB). International Wildlife Coalition-Brazil, C.P. 5087, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-970, Brazil (MB, PACF). Habitat reduction, fragmentation and loss are crucial for the conservation at both the species and population levels. Although this has been widely assessed on land ecosystems, it is less so in the marine realm were coastal cetaceans are known to suffer this threat. Herein it is applied GIS methods and other analysis to evaluate habitat conflicts for a resident, small population of the marine tucuxi dolphin (Sotalia fluviatilis) in and around the Environmental Protection Area of Anhatomirim (~27º30´S, 48º31´W), southern Brazil, a conservation unit of direct use. During 2001-2003 we collected data on dolphins' distribution and area use, marine mussel farms, fishery ports, fishery sites and boat traffic routes. There is high conflict in dolphins' area use and the manmade factors with reduction and fragmentation of habitat, with almost no area available only to dolphins. Fishery sites and boat traffic routes seem to be the most important factors of impact although the strong and constant increase in mussel farms deserves attention. Conservation needs and outcomes include constant, adequate enforcement of fishery, mussel farm and boat traffic regulations as well as regulating boat traffic and mussel farming in important areas not yet given specific regulations. Society for Conservation Biology - Brasilia 2005 News index | RSS | News Feed Advertisements: Organic Apparel from Patagonia | Insect-repelling clothing |
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