Quantitative impacts of hydroelectric dams on the trans‐Amazonian migrations of goliath catfish
Abstract Hydropower expansion is increasingly responsible for connectivity and biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems. The Amazon basin, which supports the highest level of freshwater biodiversity globally, faces such unplanned expansion. Here, we demonstrate and quantify the impacts of two major hydroelectric dams on the Madeira River on the trans‐Amazonian movements of one apex predatory catfish ( Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii ) performing the longest migration known in freshwaters. Using otolith microchemistry, we show that above the dams, the former basin‐wide homing migration between the breeding grounds in the upper Madeira and the nursery in the Amazon estuary has now been replaced by residency. We found evidence suggesting downstream migration of juvenile fish past dams into the Amazon estuary and that some of them home back to the Madeira. However, we did not find evidence that the fish homing back from the estuary can access their breeding grounds in the upper Madeira; they remain blocked below the dams. Our results provide undisputable evidence that the conservation of the species primarily requires the reestablishment of connectivity with the construction of efficient fishways.
Authors
- Fabrice Duponchelle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0497-2264)
- Jacques Panfili (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0504-2384)
- Carolina Rodrigues da Costa Dória (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1638-0063)
- Gislene Torrente‐Vilara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2048-7691)
- Marília Hauser
- Carlos Edwar de Carvalho Freitas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5406-0998)
- Emmanuel Ponzevera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6481-7309)
- Jean‐François Renno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9071-0086)
- Christophe Pécheyran (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6503-4859)
- Carmen Rosa GARCÍA-DÁVILA (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4125-5563)
Institutions
- Universidade Federal de Rondônia (BR)
- Universidade Estadual de Maringá (BR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Ifremer (FR)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-Chimie pour l'Environnement et les Matériaux (FR)
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (PE)
- Diversité, adaptation et développement des plantes (FR)
- Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation (FR)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas (BR)
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Conservation Letters
- Published
- 2024-08-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13046
- Citations
- 6
- Primary Topic
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.15
Funders
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Ciência sem Fronteiras