Effects of human disturbance on habitat and fish diversity in Neotropical streams.

ABSTRACT: Human pressures have been intensely modifying freshwater ecosystems worldwide. We assessed the effects of human pressure on habitat diversity and primary productivity to understand the consequences on fish fauna in 25 tropical and subtropical streams of two globally important ecoregions: Iguassu and Upper Paraná. We hypothesized that the increased human pressure (urbanization and agriculture) on stream environments, both at the local and catchment scales, directly decreases habitat diversity. We also hypothesized that increased human pressure triggers changes in primary productivity and fish fauna composition and structure. We evaluated the human pressure intensity using the Integrated Disturbance Index and the Rapid Habitat Diversity Assessment protocol, which combines information about l

SUBMITTER: Larentis C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9462761 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature