Seria a abundância de Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840) em reservatório do semiárido brasileiro influenciada pela sazonalidade climática e cobertura da terra?

Would the abundance of Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel, 1840) in a Brazilian semiarid reservoir be influenced by climatic seasonality and land cover?

Abstract

This study investigated how climate seasonality, volume, and land cover affect the abundance of the non-native fish population Plagioscion squamosissimus (HECKEL, 1840) in the Santa Cruz reservoir, located in the municipality of Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte. Fish were collected at eight different points during dry en rainy season of 2013, 2015, and 2017. Temperature, precipitation, reservoir volume, and land cover data were analyzed. The results showed no significant differences in fish abundance among years, quarters, and rainy and dry periods. Reservoir volume, temperature, precipitation, water surface area, and some land cover categories did not affect the quantity of collected fish. However, uncovered areas had a negative effect on fish abundance, likely due to the influx of sediments and debris. On the other hand, the presence of herbaceous vegetation had a positive effect. These findings emphasize the importance of land cover and vegetation in the dynamics of fish populations in aquatic ecosystems, providing relevant information for biodiversity conservation and reservoir management.