The role of sediment on the energy availability for fishes in the upper Paraná river floodplain=O papel do sedimento na disponibilidade de energia para peixes da planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná

This study aimed to identify potential sources of organic matter in sediment, using stable isotopes of carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N). Sediment samples were gathered from the margin and in center of three subsystems: Ivinheima, Paraná and Baia, in August/2001. The samples were fractionated granulometrically and separated by size (< 200 µm; 70-200 µm; > 70 µm), prepared and sent to CENA / USP, for identifying the isotopes proportions. Significant differences were detected in the isotopic ratios of the sediment only between sampling stations. The Baía channel presented the lowest 13C values, while the highest ones were recorded in Paraná river. At this last, 15N values were negative (-14.41‰). We did not verify significant difference in isotopic composition between the particle sizes of sediment, and between the sampling points. The main sources of carbon for the sediment were C3 macrophytes, periphyton and particulate organic carbon (POC).<br><br>O presente trabalho teve por objetivo identificar as fontes potenciais de matéria orgânica do sedimento, utilizando isótopos estáveis de carbono (13C) e nitrogênio (15N). Foram coletadas amostras de sedimento das margens e do centro de três subsistemas: Ivinheima, Paraná e Baía, em agosto/2001. As amostras foram fracionadas granulometricamente e <200 µm; 70-200 µm; >70 µm, e enviadas ao CENA/USP para identificação das proporções dos isótopos. Foram verificadas diferenças significativas nas razões isotópicas do sedimento apenas entre as estações de coleta. O canal Baía, exibiu s baixos valores de 13C, enquanto altos valores foram registrados no rio Paraná. Nesta última estação, os valores de 15N foram negativos (-14.41‰). Não foram registradas diferenças significativas na composição isotópica entre os tamanhos de partículas do sedimento e nem entre os pontos de coleta. As principais fontes de carbono para o sedimento foram as macrófitas C3, perifíton e carbono orgânico particulado (COP)

Disponibilidade de matéria orgânica sedimentar para peixes benticos da planície de inundação do rio Paraná - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i2.1634

This work aims to investigate the hypothesis that sedimentary organic matter presents concentration variations in accordance to the size of sediment particles and to proximity with the river's margin. This organic matter is known as a feeding source for benthonic fishes. Sampling of the sediment was carried out in dry and rainy periods, at three Paraná River floodplain subsystems. Three sampling points were established: right margin, center and left margin. The samples (n = 88) were submitted to granulometric fractionation ( 200µm). Low variability in organic matter concentration was observed for samples from the center of the subsystems. Particles, smaller than 70µm, had high variability in organic matter concentration. The rainy period was shown to affect concentration of organic matter adhered to the sediment fractions in transversal section at the sampled environments. With support of literature, the experiment lead to the conclusion that fish species which ingest particles of detritus 200µm). Observou-se menor variabilidade na concentração de matéria orgânica para as amostras do centro e maior para partículas menores que 70µm. Identificou-se o efeito do período de chuvas sobre a concentração de matéria orgânica aderida as frações de sedimento das secções transversais e nos ambientes amostrados. Concluiu-se, com base na literatura, que as espécies de peixes que ingerem detrito com partículas < 70µm, obtêm mais matéria orgânica do sediment

Spatial, seasonal and ontogenetic changes in food resource use by a piscivore fish in two Pantanal lagoons, Brazil

We evaluated the factors that affect the food resource use by Plagioscion ternetzi using three approaches: spatial, seasonal, and ontogenetic changes. Fish were sampled between March 2000 and February 2001 and March 2003 and February 2004 in the Sinhá Mariana and Chacororé lagoons, wetlands of the Pantanal Matogrossense. Fish was the predominant food in the diet, but shrimps and insects have been also consumed. The diet of P. ternetzi was significantly different between lagoons, but no difference was detected between dry and flood periods. In Sinhá Mariana lagoon, the diet mainly consisted of Psectrogaster curviventris, in both periods. In the flood period in Chacororé lagoon, fish was the dominant food (especially Astyanax spp., Leporinus spp. and Schizodon borellii), and in dry, shrimp and Eigenmannia spp. The Spearman coefficient indicated no correlation between the abundance of caught fish species and their abundances in the diet of P. ternetzi in Sinhá Mariana lagoon, and a strong negative correlation at Chacororé lagoon, although some very consumed preys were numerically abundant in the environment. Despite the intake of insect and shrimp, P. ternetzi was piscivorous since immature stages. A correlation between each item and the size classes of P. ternetziwas tested by means of Pearson correlation that showed that the changes in the use of resources over ontogenetic development have been represented by increased intake of P. curviventris in Mariana lagoon, and S. borellii at Chacororé lagoon, accompanying the increase in the size of the predator. In this way, the results suggest that several factors can be involved in the use of food resources by P. ternezi, among them the abundance, the size and morphological characteristics of the prey