Ecologia trófica em arroios de baixa ordem do sul do Brasil: relação entre consumidores primários e secundários

Abstract

The River Continuum Concept (RCC) suggests that changes in physico-chemical factors across the stream longitudinal gradient leads to the adding of species of different feeding habits. In this sense, the aim of the study is the trophic characterization of fish headwater species from subtropical streams and to identify energy flow between macroinvertebrate and fishes. It is expected that detritivorous fish standing crop increase across stream longitudinal gradient due to increase in primary production in the same direction. This study was carried out in 32 streams from 1st to 4thorder in eight microbasins in the Sinos River basin. Ichthyofauna was sampled with electric fishing in 100m2 sections. Macroinvertebrates were sampled with Surber sampler to assess resource availability and primary consumer standing crop. Richness and diversity of fish communities were also calculated. The diet of the most abundant fish species was assessed as well as relative importance and niche amplitude indexes. The results displayed that fish diversity, richness and standing crop increased across stream longitudinal gradient corroborating RCC postulates. It was also indicated that fish communities was composed by two feeding groups (insetivorous and detritivorous). The detritivorous fishes have in turn increased fish standing crop and established two directions of energy flow which act as both primary and secondary consumers.