PRODUÇÃO DE PEIXES EM RIACHO: REVISITANDO PRINCÍPIOS, MÉTODOS E PERSPECTIVAS

Abstract

Production studies are fundamental for understanding various aspects of the organization and functioning of aquatic systems. The current state of knowledge on this subject is still little explored, especially regarding streams in the Neotropical region. In this study, we present the main theoretical frameworks, the different methods available in the literature, as well as perspectives on the topic for fish from neotropical streams. We emphasize that all available methods lead to similar results and the choice of one or the other falls on the circumstances of the research. For tropical stream fish we recommend using the Size Distribution Method. We also present a step-by-step guide for using the R software (TropFishR package) for production calculations. A comparative approach is carried out for the known production rates in Tropical, Temperate and Mediterranean regions, suggesting an inverse pattern between the species diversity and the production rates of these environments. We hope, with the present study, to stimulate research in this area of knowledge, to include the patterns and processes that generate production in neotropical streams in a broader context of ecological theory.