1. Current And Future Perspectives On The Evaluation, Development And Application Of Benthic Multimetric Indices For Neotropical Savanna Streams Déborah Silva – PhD student UFMG Robert M. Hughes – Amnis Opes Institute Alan T. Herlihy - OSU – Fisheries and Wildlife Marcos Callisto - UFMG Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

2. Topics: 1.Introduction – Current status of MMI studies – Neotropical Savanna (Cerrado) 2.Objective 3.Methodology – Study area, survey design, macroinvertebrate sampling, site classification, metric screening, MMI development 4.Results 5.Future perspectives

3. Introduction Aquatic ecosystem among the most threatened in the world; Development of biotic integrity index (multimetric index- MMI): necessary to monitor and manage freshwater ecosystems; It provides an important tool to support decision makers and to help establish conservation actions.

4. Current status? Most studies are concentrated in North America and Europe - Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Water Framework Directive (WFD); Brazil: incorporating the methodology through development, adaptation and validation of MMI. (Ruaro & Gubiani, 2013)

5. Current status? – Cerrado multimetric index – 2 of 4 metrics did not distinguish

6. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – Second largest biome in South America – 23% of Brazilian territory – Area 2 million km² – Harbors important hydrographic basins, headwater streams and aquifers. Marcelo F. Simon et al. PNAS

7. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – Characterized by dispersed trees and shrubs, small palms and ground layer grasses Source: Google images

8. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – High biodiversity of plants and animals: Source: Google images

9. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – Most threatened biome: Agriculture expasion (soybean, sugar cane, corn, coffee) – Pasture and Eucalyptus plantations Source: Google images

10. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – Hydro potential; – Large number of hydroeletric dams; – Changes in water quality, structure of the aquatic community, loss of genetic patrimony, climatic alterations. Science, 2014

11. Neotropical Savanna Biome (Cerrado) – High biodiversity; – Endemic species – Constant threat; – Hotspots of Biodiversity (Myers et al. 2000). Myers et al., 2000

12. Objective: Evaluate the biological condition of headwater streams in the Neotropical Savanna (Cerrado) in hydropower dam basins – – Standardized field protocol (USEPA) – Randomized site selection – Different basins (4 basins, total of 190 sites) – Reference site screening – Macroinvertebrate as biological indicator

13. Study area: Paraná and São Francisco River Basin Streams draining 4 hydropower reservoirs (2009- 2012) Re-sampling (2013)

14. Study survey: Spatially balanced sample design; Wadeable streams; 1 st to 3 rd order (Strahler); Hand-picked reference candidate sites.

15. Macroinvertebrate sampling: Reach (~150m) 6 samples D- frame kick-net (0,09m²) Lab protocol: all individuals counted Data analysis: 300 fixed count to standardize counting effort among surveys EPA-Protocol for field sampling

16. Defining least disturbed reference sites Filtering procedure: #11 #23 #45 #4 #46 #49 #9 #18 #467 #8 #76 #115 #31 #7 #65 #75 #1 #23 #45 #4 #46 #49 #19 #183 #467 #8 #76 #115 #3 #77 #655 #175 48 least-disturbed sites All 190 sites Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)<5.5 T-Nytrogen (mg/L)>0.1 T-Phosphorus (mg/L)<0.03 Turbidity (NTU)<10 ph5-9 % Fines20/25/40 Rip. Dist. Index<1 % Urban0 % Natural>40 % Agriculture<60 Water Quality Physical Habitat Lande Use

17. Defining most disturbed sites Filtering procedure: #11 #23 #45 #4 #46 #49 #9 #18 #467 #8 #76 #115 #31 #7 #65 #75 #1 #23 #45 #4 #46 #49 #19 #183 #467 #8 #76 #115 #3 #77 #655 #175 41 most-disturbed sites All 190 sites Physical Habitat Rip. Dist. Index>2 Land Use % UrbanAny % Water Parameters Extreme value

18. Least Disturbed Reference Site Most Disturbed Site

19. Least Disturbed Reference Site Most Disturbed Site

20. 7 Categories: -Taxonomic Composition -Taxonomic Richness -Tolerance -Diversity and Dominance -Functional Feeding Group -Mobility -Respiration 132 Metrics screened for MMI METRICS CLASSIFICATION RANGE TEST ADJUSTING FOR NATURAL GRADIENT RESPONSIVENESS DISCRIMINATION RESPONSIVENESS DISCRIMINATION REPRODUCIBILITY Eliminate metrics with low variability Eliminate metrics with low signal-to-noise Correction of metrics that vary with natural environmental gradient: altitude, catchment area, precipitation, slope. Eliminate metrics that do not distinguish “least” from “most” disturbed sites (F- test) and with overlap in interquartiles (Delta)

21. 34 metrics considered for final MMI Each category: F>4 Delta: + S:N>1 Each category: F>4 Delta: + S:N>1 Run all possible combinations MMI: F>40 S:N>2 Máx Corr. |0.7| MMI: F>40 S:N>2 Máx Corr. |0.7| Pick the model with best balance of Delta and F values 34 metrics 47250 MMI 228 MMI MMI Scoring: US-EPA procedure adapted for 7-metrics categories MMI

22. Results – Final MMI CategoryMetricResponse Composition% Gastropoda - RichnessTrichoptera richness + Functional Feeding Group% Scrapers + Mobility% Burrowers - RespirationRichness of individuals that use gills + DiversityShannon-Wiener + ToleranceBMWP divided total richness +

23. Results – Final MMI F value58.8 Delta6.0 Máx Corr.0.7 S/N2.0

24. Results Volta Grande Três Marias São Simão Nova Ponte Volta Grande basin: - Overlap - Only 4 least disturbed sites - Most impaired basin - Lack of minimally disturbed sites

25. Future Perspectives Build a robust MMI comparable to those in other countries Provide an efficient tool to assess ecological conditions in neotropical savanna streams

26. Acknowledgements Thank you! deborah.ufmg@gmail.com