title: Freshwater fish faunas, habitats and conservation challenges in the Caribbean river basins of north-western South America.
abstract: The remarkable fish diversity in the Caribbean rivers of north-western South America evolved under the influences of the dramatic environmental changes of neogene northern South America, including the Quechua Orogeny and Pleistocene climate oscillations. Although this region is not the richest in South America, endemism is very high. Fish assemblage structure is unique to each of the four aquatic systems identified (rivers, streams, floodplain lakes and reservoirs) and community dynamics are highly synchronized with the mono-modal or bi-modal flooding pulse of the rainy seasons. The highly seasonal multispecies fishery is based on migratory species. Freshwater fish conservation is a challenge for Colombian environmental institutions because the Caribbean trans-Andean basins are the focus of the economic development of Colombian society, so management measures must be directed to protect aquatic habitat and their connectivity. These two management strategies are the only way for helping fish species conservation and sustainable fisheries.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 No. 53-108, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Segura
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 25 No. 61-20, A-201, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galvis-Vergara
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 25 No. 61-20, A-201, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cala-Cala
authors.affiliation: Universidad del Atlántico, Km 7 Antigua vía Puerto Colombia, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: García-Alzate
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 67 No. 53-108, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-Casas
authors.affiliation: Universidad Católica de Oriente, Carrera 46 No. 40b 50, Rionegro, Colombia.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ríos-Pulgarín
authors.affiliation: Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Carrera 58 42-125, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Arango
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Sede Medellín, Calle 59A No. 63-20, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mancera-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Carrera 4ª No 22-61, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Bonilla
authors.affiliation: Fundación Verdes Horizontes, Carrera 25 No. 61-20, A-201, Manizales, Colombia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Álvarez-León
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005399:Fishes; D055868:Floods; D005618:Fresh Water; D012098:Reproduction; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Caribbean trans-Andean Rivers; fisheries; freshwater fishes; threats to conservation