Simultaneous abrupt shifts in hydrology and fish assemblage structure in a floodplain lake in the central Amazon
Open accessAbstract
Combined effects of climate change and deforestation have altered precipitation patterns in the Amazon. This has led to changes in the frequency of extreme events of flood and drought in recent decades and in the magnitude of the annual flood pulse, a phenomenon that influences virtually all aspects of river-floodplain ecosystem dynamics. Analysis of long-term data revealed abrupt and synchronous changes in hydrology and fish assemblage structure of a floodplain lake near the confluence of Amazon and Negro rivers. After an intense drought in 2005, the assemblage assumed a different and fairly persistent taxonomic composition and functional structure. Declines in abundance after 2005 were more pronounced for species of all sizes having equilibrium life history strategy, large species with periodic life history strategy, and for all trophic levels except primary consumers. Our results suggest that the extreme drought triggered changes in the fish assemblage and subsequent anomalous hydrological conditions have hampered assemblage recovery. These findings stress the need to account for climatic-driven hydrological changes in conservation efforts addressing aquatic biodiversity and fishery resources in the central Amazon.
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These shifts often result from changes in an environmental gradient toward less favorable conditions until population threshold responses (tipping points) occur and are indicated by a rapid decline in occurrence and abundance.
“These shifts often result from changes in an environmental gradient toward less favorable conditions until population threshold responses (tipping points) occur and are indicated by a rapid decline in occurrence and abundance (Baker & King, 2010; Röpke et al., 2017; Sasaki et al., 2008).”
From Threshold responses of floating meadow fish communities to floodplain forest cover in the lower Amazon River (2025) · cites this paper as Röpke et al., 2017
The Results report that several fish groups shifted to lower abundance after 2005, and the Discussion identifies the extreme drought as the most plausible trigger for the abrupt change in assemblage structure. The paper does not establish a gradual environmental gradient reaching population tipping points or a rapid decline in occurrence. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAnalyses of fish assemblage structures along floodplain environmental gradients show complex patterns, including potential threshold responses.
“Analyses of fish assemblage structures along floodplain environmental gradients show complex patterns, including potential threshold responses (Baker & King, 2010; Röpke et al., 2017; Sasaki et al., 2008).”
From Threshold responses of floating meadow fish communities to floodplain forest cover in the lower Amazon River (2025) · cites this paper as Röpke et al., 2017
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Medina Madariaga, G., Nguyen, H. H., Kiesel, J., Peters, K., Feld, C. K., Jaehnig, S. C., & Cambas, Y. T. (2024) · doi:10.1101/2024.05.28.596146 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Droughts can pose adverse effects on fish migration, due to habitat loss (Röpke et al., 2017), and high flows following droughts can disrupt water quality and lead to increased mortality (King et al., 2012).”
Grinstead, S., Arantes, C. C., Winemiller, K. O., Kelso‐Winemiller, L. C., de Oliveira, J. A., Petrere, M., & Freitas, C. E. C. (2025) · Conservation Biology · doi:10.1111/cobi.70110
Self-citation
- Authors
- Röpke, C. P., Amadio, S., Zuanon, J., Ferreira, E. J. G., Deus, C. P. D., Pires, T. H. S., & Winemiller, K. O.
- Affiliations
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (BR)
- Texas A&M University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Röpke, Cristhiana P.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2017-01-10
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 40170-40170
- ISSN
- 2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5223205
- OpenAlex
- W2568144490
- Cited by
- 122
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 6
- FWCI
- 10.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- OakTrust (Texas A&M University Libraries) (submittedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (1257813)
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (575738/2008-1, 062003342013, 313183/2014‐7)
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (062003422013, 062003342013)
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Keywords
- abrupt change, floodplain lakes, fish community structure, hydrological change, extreme drought, 2005 drought, life history strategies, trophic levels, aquatic biodiversity, climate change, deforestation, flood pulse
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Conservation of Natural Resources, Fishes, Longitudinal Studies, Rivers, Floods, Climate Change, Water Cycle, Biota, Lakes
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