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Cited by 38Fish Ecology and Management StudiesHydrology and Sediment Transport ProcessesFish biology, ecology, and behavior

Biotic Indicators for Ecological State Change in Amazonian Floodplains

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Correa, Sandra Bibiana, van der Sleen, Peter, Siddiqui, Sharmin F, Bogotá-Gregory, Juan David, Arantes, Caroline C, Barnett, Adrian A, Couto, Thiago B A, Goulding, Michael +1 more·2022·BioScience
DOI 10.1093/biosci/biac038PMC PMC9343230
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Abstract

Riverine floodplains are biologically diverse and productive ecosystems. Although tropical floodplains remain relatively conserved and ecologically functional compared to those at higher latitudes, they face accelerated hydropower development, climate change, and deforestation. Alterations to the flood pulse could act synergistically with other drivers of change to promote profound ecological state change at a large spatial scale. State change occurs when an ecosystem reaches a critical threshold or tipping point, which leads to an alternative qualitative state for the ecosystem. Visualizing an alternative state for Amazonian floodplains is not straightforward. Yet, it is critical to recognize that changes to the flood pulse could push tropical floodplain ecosystems over a tipping point with cascading adverse effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. We characterize the Amazonian flood pulse regime, summarize evidence of flood pulse change, assess potential ecological repercussions, and provide a monitoring framework for tracking flood pulse change and detecting biotic responses.

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  • Many fish species enter flooded forests to feed, spawn, or seek refuge from predation.

    “many species enter flooded forests to feed, spawn, or seek refuge from predation”

    From Threshold responses of floating meadow fish communities to floodplain forest cover in the lower Amazon River (2025) · cites this paper as Correa et al., 2022

    In “How high?—The effects of changes in the magnitude of flooding” (page not provided), the paper says numerous fish exploit food in floodplain forests. In “How long?—The effects of changes in the duration of flooding” (page not provided), it says many fish depend on those forests as breeding and rearing grounds. It does not say they enter flooded forests to seek refuge from predation; its discussion of predation risk concerns the dry season’s reduced aquatic habitat. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The loss of floodplain forest cover threatens Amazonian fish conservation because these forests provide critical habitat during the seasonal flood pulse when river waters inundate the forest.

    “The loss of floodplain forest cover threatens Amazonian fish conservation because these forests provide critical habitat during the seasonal flood pulse when river waters inundate the forest (Correa & Winemiller, 2018; Correa et al., 2022; Goulding, 1980, 1993).”

    From Threshold responses of floating meadow fish communities to floodplain forest cover in the lower Amazon River (2025) · cites this paper as Correa et al., 2022

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Authors
Correa, S. B., van der Sleen, P., Siddiqui, S. F., Bogotá-Gregory, J. D., Arantes, C. C., Barnett, A. A., Couto, T. B. A., Goulding, M., & Anderson, E. P.
Affiliations
  • Mississippi State University (US)
  • Wageningen University and Research Centre , The Netherlands
  • University of Florida (US)
  • Amazonian Institute of Scientific Research Sinchi , Leticia, Colombia
  • West Virginia University (US)
  • Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (BR)
  • Florida International University (US)
  • Wildlife Conservation Society (US)
Corresponding author
Correa, Sandra Bibiana
ORCID
Venue
BioScience
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2022-06-22
Volume
72
Issue
8
Pages
753-768
ISSN
  • 0006-3568 (ISSN-L)
  • 1525-3244
DOI
10.1093/biosci/biac038
PMC
PMC9343230
OpenAlex
W4285208492
Cited by
38
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1
FWCI
4.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BioScience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion)
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (University of Greenwich) (acceptedVersion)
  • Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1026124, 1842473)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (1026124)
  • John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (16-1607-151053-CSD)
  • Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
  • Wildlife Conservation Society
  • Tinker Foundation
  • Mississippi State University
  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture (1026124)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
Keywords
Amazon floodplain, flood pulse, ecological tipping points, biotic indicators, hydropower development, climate change, deforestation, ecosystem services, biodiversity loss

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