title: Restoration Effects of the Riparian Forest on the Intertidal Fish Fauna in an Urban Area of the Amazon River.
abstract: Urbanization causes environmental impacts that threaten the health of aquatic communities and alter their recovery patterns. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of intertidal fish in six areas affected by urbanization (areas with native vegetation, deforested areas, and areas in process of restoration of vegetation) along an urban waterfront in the Amazon River. 20 species were identified, representing 17 genera, 14 families, and 8 orders. The different degrees of habitat degradation had a major effect on the composition of the fish fauna; the two least affected sectors were the only ones in that all 20 species were found. Eight species were recorded in the most degraded areas. The analysis revealed two well-defined groups, coinciding with the sectors in better ecological quality and degraded areas, respectively. The native vegetation has been identified as the crucial factor to the recovery and homeostasis of the studied ecosystem, justifying its legal protection and its use in the restoration and conservation of altered and threatened environments. These results reinforce the importance of maintaining the native vegetation as well as its restoration in order to benefit of the fish populations in intertidal zones impacted by alterations resulting from inadequate urbanization.
authors.affiliation: Ichthyology and Limnology Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Amapá-NEPA (UNIFAP-NEPA), Rodovia JK, km 02, 68.903-419 Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Júlio C
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4867-4720
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sá-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Ichthyology and Limnology Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rodovia JK, km 02, 68.903-419 Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Huann C G
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Cajari River Extractive Reserve, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), Rua Leopoldo Machado, 1126 Centro, Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raimundo N G
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mendes-Junior
authors.affiliation: Zoology Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rodovia JK, km 02, 68.903-419 Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Herpetology Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Amapá (UNIFAP), Rodovia JK, km 02, 68.903-419 Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Costa-Campos
authors.affiliation: Ichthyology and Limnology Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Amapá-NEPA (UNIFAP-NEPA), Rodovia JK, km 02, 68.903-419 Macapá, AP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Walace S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Fishery Biology Laboratory, ICB, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Av. Perimetral 2651, Guamá, 66077530 Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Isaac
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005399:Fishes; D065928:Forests; D045483:Rivers; D014507:Urbanization