Abstract
This study synthesizes the results from ten years (1978–1988) of research in lotic environments of the middle Paraná River. We elucidate the important environmental factors that determine differences in quality and structure of the benthos among the main channel, secondary channels and tributaries, and we determine species or descriptive associations of the different types of environment.
The results of a principal components analysis reveal a transverse gradient from the main channel through the secondary channels of progressively decreasing size. The gradient shows decreasing depth, current velocity, discharge, sand, oxygen, and density of the benthos, and increasing transparency, pH, conductivity, temperature, silt, clay, sediment, organic matter and species richness and diversity of the benthos.
The centre of the river channels was found to be the zone of greatest descriptive and representative value for the characterization of the benthos.
In relation to the transverse gradient, the following succession of benthic fauna associations was observed in the center of channels from the main channel to the anabranches:
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1-
Narapa bonettoi + Haplotaxis aedeochaeta + Microstomum? sp.
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2-
N. bonettoi + H. aedeochaeta + Microstomum? sp. + Parachironomus sp.
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3-
Parachironomus sp. + Xenochironomus sp. + Cryptochironomus sp. + Coelotanypus sp. + Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri + Paranadrilus descolei + Campsurus sp. + Pisidium sp.
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Marchese, M., de Drago, I.E. Benthos of the lotic environments in the middle Paraná River system: transverse zonation. Hydrobiologia 237, 1–13 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008422
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008422