Those Dam Fish: Morphological Response in Two Riverine Fish Species Following Dam Construction

Authors

Leah Stimpson, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow
Austin Rejcek, Brigham Young University - Provo
Mark C. Belk, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Files

Keywords

Morphology, fish, Brazil, dams

Abstract

Flow regime is a known predictor of fish shape¹. Conspecific populations living in distinct flow environments often exhibit different morphologies.

Dams present a unique opportunity to observe a dramatically transformed flow regime. Fish populations that once occupied a fast-flowing habitat suddenly live in an artificial reservoir.

The Parana Basin in southern Brazil boasts some of the greatest fish diversity in the world. The biological implications of hydroelectric dam construction along its major rivers must be studied.

Previous literature has been limited to a single species or ecological niche².

➢ Our objective was to describe what morphological divergence, if any, is present within two species across three locations: Upstream, Reservoir and Downstream of the Sao Domingos dam.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Stimpson, Leah; Rejcek, Austin; and Belk, Mark C., "Those Dam Fish: Morphological Response in Two Riverine Fish Species Following Dam Construction" (2025). Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025. 6.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/library_studentposters_2025/6

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2025

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Senior

Copyright Use Information

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/