Ecologia e dinâmica da expansão de peixes não-nativos no Triângulo Mineiro e Alto Paranaíba com abordagem espaço-temporal

Abstract

The introduction of non-native fish species represents one of the main threats to biodiversity in freshwater environments on a global scale, causing significant impacts on ecological interactions, food webs, and the structure of aquatic communities. In the Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba (TMAP), a mesoregion located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, the growing expansion of non-native species has become a concerning phenomenon, driven by multiple anthropic factors. This dissertation, structured in two chapters, aimed to investigate the spatio-temporal patterns of the expansion of these species in the TMAP rivers, considering environmental, historical, and social aspects related to the invasion process. In Chapter 1, a survey of the non-native fish species present in the region was conducted, mapping their spatial distribution and identifying critical areas of infestation, with emphasis on the Araguari, Uberabinha, and Tijuco rivers. Analyses of Area of Occupancy (AOO), Extent of Occurrence (EOO), kriging interpolation, and spatial cluster analysis (LISA) were applied to characterize the distribution and occurrence hotspots. Chapter 2 addresses the temporal analysis of the abundance of non-native species over the last five decades, using a generalized linear model (GLM) with a Poisson distribution. This approach allowed for the identification of significant temporal trends, highlighting the role of anthropic factors in the intensification of the biological invasion in the region. Through this integrated approach, this dissertation seeks to contribute to the understanding of the ecological processes related to the expansion of non-native fish in the TMAP, providing technical and scientific support for monitoring, management, and conservation actions for the native ichthyofauna.