Efeito de características ambientais no uso dos canais-de-maré por três espécies de peixes bentófagos durante o período transição-seca no estuário de Curuçá (Pará-Brasil)

Abstract

The Curuçá estuary is part of a Conservation Unit (RESEX Great Mother of Curuçá) since 2002 and has as main water courses the Curuçá River and Muriá bore. This study aimed to analyze the effect of environmental characteristics in the use of the creek on the benthophagous species Colomesus psittacus, Sciades herzbergii and Genyatremus luteus. The analysis involved the relationship of environmental data (salinity, submergence area and tree cover) and biotic data from the three species studied (density, biomass, feeding intensity and distribution of total length). The first expedition took place in July 2008 to collect the fish fauna and the second in October 2008 to conduct the tree inventory, and each campaign lasted for three days. For all the estuary of Curuçá, more precisely, along the Curuçá River and Muriá bore were allotted a total of six study sites, where within each site were sampled two creeks, making a total of twelve creeks sampled. The species C. psittacus, S. herzbergii and G. luteus were among the five most abundant and occurred in all sites, except for S. herzbergii, which was captured only in five of the six sites. The three species showed, among sites, highly significant differences for changes in their average density, biomass, index of fullness and length, except for G. luteus which did not show statistical differences in their average total length. All variations of the average environmental characteristics related to tree cover (density, height and diameter), as well as, the area of flood creek showed significant differences between sites. This study has showed: the influence of salinity gradient in the distribution of species within the estuary; spatial relations between the flooded area and availability of food resources, where the creek with larger flooded area were more conducive to forage fish fauna benthophagous; likely, there is a better yield when feeding species benthophagous occurs in creek surrounded by vegetation developed.