INFLUENCE OF SPATIAL GRADIENT CAUSED BY A LARGE DAM ON FISH ASSEMBLAGE IN A SUBTROPICAL RESERVOIR - UPPER URUGUAY RIVER

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of different environments formed in the area of influence of a reservoir - lentic, transition and lotic - on the composition and structure of the fish fauna. For this, collections were made with seasonal periodicity in the Ita reservoir, Upper Uruguay River, from 2001 to 2010. The results showed that the spatial gradient plays an important role in the fish assemblage structure. The lotic stretch was the place with the largest values of CPUE, both in number and biomass. As well, species with dependence on certain original fluvial conditions managed to maintain their presence in this stretch. In the lotic area, catching fish that are considered large migratory species coincided with their reproductive periods. The transition stretch presented an intermediate productivity and shared species with the two adjacent sections. However, it had greater similarity with the lentic area. The lentic and transition zones presented the more profound changes, showing an increase of opportunistic species. Within the context of a system of reservoirs in cascade, this study points out the free stretches flowing into the Ita reservoir as being priority areas for the conservation of the Upper Uruguay River region.