Evaluating the phylogenetic diversity patterns of fish assemblages in Neotropical reservoirs to fish invasions and across the years

Abstract

One of the threats to biodiversity is biological invasions, which can result in losses in community structure and important ecosystem services, harming ecological and economic sectors. In Neotropical reservoirs, there are important knowledge gaps about the effects of invasions by non-native species, such as Geophagus sveni and Plagioscion squamosissimus, on fish assemblages in Southeast Brazil. In this internship project, we hypothesize that the phylogenetic structure of fish assemblages was altered after the invasion of Geophagus sveni and Plagioscion squamosissimus in reservoirs in the upper Paraná River and Paraíba do Sul River basins, respectively. To this end, we will analyze changes in phylogenetic diversity of fish assemblages in the reservoirs sampled from 1992 to 2016. Taxonomic information and molecular sequences (i.e., DNA barcoding using the standardized cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene) of each fish species in the datasets available in each basin will be compiled. The construction of phylogenetic trees for each reservoir will be carried out and will allow to access the lengths of the branches of the local phylogeny and the calculation of different indices of the phylogenetic structure, such as richness, divergence, and phylogenetic beta diversity. Additionally, to the acquisition of new techniques by the student, the new data can contribute to the precise and accurate results for the thesis developed. (AU)