Priorização espacial para conservação e restauração da interação entre peixes frugívoros e floresta na bacia Paraná-Paraguai.

Abstract

Interactions between frugivorous fish and forests contribute to seed dispersal and the structuring of plant communities in riverine habitat and floodplain forests. However, fish-forest interactions that contribute to maintaining biodiversity are threatened by climate and landscape changes. The objective was to identify areas suitable for the conservation and restoration of fish-forest interaction and related ecosystem services in the Parana-Paraguay River basin, integrating climatically suitable areas for Myloplus tiete and Piaractus mesopotamicus, two species of frugivorous habit, native to the basin, and at risk of becoming extinct. The predictions show a reduction in climate-environmental suitability for the two species at different times (present, 2050, and 2080) and different carbon emission scenarios and low availability of vegetation cover. By multiplying the values of climate suitability with the availability of vegetation, generated the Environmental Optimum Index, which allowed us to identify areas for conservation and restoration. The models demonstrated priority areas for conservation concentrated in the southern portion of the Pantanal and the headwater regions of the upper Parana River basin. At the same time, classified the restoration areas concentrated in the mouth region between the Tietê and Paranapanema rivers. It reinforces the essential that decision-makers prioritize the investment of limited resources for the conservation and restoration of riparian landscapes and develop efficient policies and practices to integrate biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and social well-being.