Stream biotic integrity assessed by fish assemblages in the Upper Rio Paraná basin

Abstract

The state of conservation of the Córrego da Água Limpa, an important water supply for the Monte Aprazível city in the northwestern portion of the São Paulo State, was evaluated. Attributes were selected to compose the fish index of biotic integrity (IBI), aiming to establish a long term monitoring analysis protocol for that basin. The IBI of four equidistant sites along the stream was calculated using two sampling protocols and during dry and wet periods. Biological attributes comparisons were carried out based on the reference scenarios, following a site-specific approach. Few influences of the sampling protocols and seasonality were detected in the IBI final values. Sites 1 and 4 showed fair IBI, site 2 was considered poor and site 3 very poor; such results agree with aspects of the physical habitat quality.