Characterization of the avifauna and ichthyofauna associated with the river overflow wetlands of four pampean streams with contrasting land use (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Abstract

Human activities in natural systems promote changes that endanger aquatic communities due to the loss of ecological niches, generating a decrease in richness and diversity. The bird and fish community of four wetlands in pampas streams with different land uses in their basins was studied. The results evidenced that there are important differences in the composition and structure of the assemblages of birds and fish of those according to the basin of belonging. The lowest values of richness and diversity were registered in the places of greatest anthropogenic pressure on the environment, where the dominance of the most tolerant species of both groups of vertebrates was also observed. The simultaneous study of these environments allowed us to record how, in the same region, human-induced changes reduce the viability of the populations of birds and fishes. Consequently, the analysis performed is not only a diagnostic report, but can also be used as a tool for monitoring remediation measures in future studies.