Trophic ecology of a small characid reflects the degradation of a basin after the rupture of an ore tailings dam

Paiva, Larissa Calais and de Carvalho, Débora Reis and Ferreira, Frederico Fernandes and Dergam, Jorge A. and Moreira, Marcelo Z. and Sperber, Carlos F. and Pompeu, Paulo Santos (2025) Trophic ecology of a small characid reflects the degradation of a basin after the rupture of an ore tailings dam. Aquatic Ecology, 59 (1): 111073. pp. 349-362. ISSN 1386-2588

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Abstract

Knodus moenkhausii is a small characid widely distributed and abundant in the Doce River basin, which experienced the largest socio-environmental disaster in Brazil. This species is also recognized for its broad dietary response to various levels of degradation, making it a potential indicator of the ecosystem's impacts resulting from the rupture of the Fundão iron mining dam in 2015. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the trophic ecology of K. moenkhausii in the Doce River basin by analyzing its carbon (δ 13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N) isotopic compositions. Samplings of K. moenkhausii individuals and their potential food resources were conducted at three sites affected by the rupture of the ore tailings dam and at three unaffected (control) sites, which were distributed across the upper, middle, and lower regions of the basin. Within each evaluated region, no differences were observed in the δ 13C values of K. moenkhausii between the affected and their respective control sites. The δ 15N was different between regions for the control sites, but similar between the affected sites, indicating possible homogenization of the river channel conditions due to the impact. In control sites, K. moenkhausii individuals fed on more nutritious resources, such as invertebrates, while in affected sites, they assimilated more algae and periphyton. We also confirmed the importance of the regional context when assigning control sites and verified that the δ 15N values were more effective in reflecting the degradation of the Doce River basin.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Journal or Publication Title:

Aquatic Ecology

Additional Information:

Export Date: 2 January 2025 CODEN: AQECF Correspondence Address: Pompeu, P.S.; Fish Ecology Laboratory, Caixa Postal 3037, MG, Campus Universitário, Brazil; email: pompeu@ufla.br Funding details: Fundação Renova, 005836/2019 Funding details: Fundação Renova Funding details: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq, 302328/2022-0 Funding details: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq Funding text 1: We thank the Funda\u00E7\u00E3o Renova for the project financial support (grant number 005836/2019) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\u00EDfico e Tecnol\u00F3gico (CNPq) for the PSP research productivity Grant (Grant Number 302328/2022-0). Thanks also to the Laboratory of Fish Ecology (UFLA) and Laboratory of molecular systematics Beagle (UFV) who assisted in the processing of samples and infrastructure, and to the Centre for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA) for their support and partnership in the isotopic analysis. Funding text 2: This study was funded by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o Renova (Grant Number 005836/2019). Paulo S. Pompeu was awarded a research productivity grant (Grant Number 302328/2022-0) by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\u00EDfico e Tecnol\u00F3gico (CNPq).

Subjects:

?? doce riverfundão damisotopic nicheknodus moenkhausiistable isotopes ??

Departments:

Faculty of Science and Technology > Lancaster Environment Centre

ID Code:

227779

Deposited By:

ep_importer_pure

Deposited On:

24 Feb 2025 16:40

Refereed?:

Yes