Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Barbara P. Paiva, Carlos A. F. Schettini, Eduardo Siegle
Summary: The Sao Francisco River is an important river in Brazil, crossing the semi-arid region. A series of dams have been built along the river for hydropower, changing the flow significantly. A hydrodynamic model was used to simulate the effects of flow changes on saline intrusion in the estuary. The simulations showed an increase in mixing and decrease in river contribution after the dams were built. The results can be used by management agencies to improve water quality for human consumption.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Murilo Cesar Lucas, Natalya Kublik, Dulce B. B. Rodrigues, Antonio A. Meira Neto, Andre Almagro, Davi de C. D. Melo, Samuel C. Zipper, Paulo Tarso Sanches Oliveira
Summary: Research in Brazil's Sao Francisco River Basin shows that water scarcity issues are mainly caused by decreasing groundwater contributions, particularly in the Middle SFB region. Despite no significant trends in precipitation, the strong correlation between decreasing terrestrial water storage and groundwater flow reduction is evident.
Article
Water Resources
Jose Micael Ferreira da Costa, Cleiton S. Silveira, Francisco das Chagas Vasconcelos Jr, Antonio Duarte Marcos Jr, Marx Vinicius Maciel da Silva, Sergio Filipe Carvalho Ramos, Victor Costa Porto, Francisco de Assis Souza Filho, Eduardo S. P. R. Martins
Summary: This study analyzed decadal climate phenomena, the phases of the AMO and PDO, and the climate-water-energy nexus at the reservoir system of the Sao Francisco River Basin in Brazil. The results indicate that the WTA was more significant on the inter-annual scale in the SFRB, and the period with opposite phases of AMO(-) and PDO(+) showed the highest values of FDC, Q90, RI, and hydropower generated for the SFRB.
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES
(2022)
Review
Water Resources
Pedro Lucas Cosmo de Brito, Jose Paulo Soares de Azevedo
Summary: Agriculture is the largest economic activity in Brazil, but water fees paid by agricultural users do not reflect the economic value of water or encourage rational and efficient use of water resources. This article evaluates the economic value of irrigation water in the Sao Francisco River basin using the shadow price approach, and finds that most crops have a positive water value. Additionally, the profitability of these crops has fluctuated over the past 6 years due to variations in sales prices and production costs.
APPLIED WATER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Larissa Alves da Silva Rosa, Manuela Morais, Carlos Hiroo Saito
Summary: The importance of river basin revitalization strategy as a main measure for achieving water security in the Sao Francisco River Basin was highlighted in a study and survey, emphasizing the significance of environmental conservation and restoration measures for ecosystem integrity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jean Decaix, Anthony Gaspoz, Vlad Hasmatuchi, Matthieu Dreyer, Christophe Nicolet, Steve Crettenand, Cecile Muench-Alligne
Summary: The past two decades have seen the promotion of new renewable energies worldwide, leading to policy changes that require producers to adapt their strategies. For example, Switzerland's feed-in tariff system has been reformed to promote renewable energy production matching demand. The SmallFLEX project aims to demonstrate increased flexibility in power plants to provide new services.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Franklin Paredes-Trejo, Humberto Alves Barbosa, Jason Giovannettone, T. V. Lakshmi Kumar, Manoj Kumar Thakur, Catarina de Oliveira Buriti, Carlos Uzcategui-Briceno
Summary: The Sao Francisco River Basin in Northeast Brazil plays a crucial role in agriculture and hydropower. While historically, the lower part of the basin has faced periods of drought, there are now signs of increasing drought in the upper and middle parts, where major reservoirs and croplands are located. It is vital to assess the impacts of extreme drought events in order to develop effective mitigation strategies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Roman Corobov, Ilya Trombitsky, Alexandr Matygin, Eduard Onishchenko
Summary: The study showed that the construction of the Dniester Hydropower Complex led to significant changes in the Dniester river flow, with a decrease in water volume downstream due to reservoir accumulation. This also caused an increase in the role of the Upper Dniester catchment in providing annual flow, negatively impacting the Lower Dniester ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Inmaculada Riba, Estefania Bonnail, Maria Jose Salamanca, Mercedes Conradi, Maria Helena Costa
Summary: An environmental assessment of the Sao Francisco River in Brazil was conducted, identifying pollution sources and stress and recommending improvements in the management of the wastewater treatment plant to reduce pollution emissions.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Larissa S. S. Melo, Veber A. F. Costa, Wilson S. S. Fernandes
Summary: This study uses the Budyko framework and the decomposition method to associate the flow variability dynamics in the Sao Francisco River catchment with climatic and anthropic covariates. The results show that streamflow decreased in the upper, middle, and lower portions of the catchment by 183 mm, 56 mm, and 26 mm, respectively. Climate change is the main factor in upstream areas (75%, 43%, and 42%), while human activities have a more pronounced influence in downstream areas (27%, 57%, and 58%). However, as the drainage areas increase, the model performance deteriorates, introducing higher levels of bias and uncertainty to the attribution results.
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
S. T. Peters, D. M. Schroeder, W. Chu, D. Castelletti, M. S. Haynes, P. Christoffersen, A. Romero-Wolf
Summary: The study found that passive radio sounding can accurately measure ice thickness, providing a new method for monitoring ice sheets. Passive radar sounding could provide low-resource time-series measurements of the cryosphere, enabling observation and understanding of evolving englacial and subglacial conditions across Greenland and Antarctica with unprecedented coverage and resolution.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Julian David Hunt, Andreas Nascimento, Carla Schwengber ten Caten, Fernanda Munari Caputo Tome, Paulo Smith Schneider, Andre Luis Ribeiro Thomazoni, Nivalde Jose de Castro, Roberto Brandao, Marcos Aurelio Vasconcelos de Freitas, Jose Sidnei Colombo Martini, Dorel Soares Ramos, Rodrigo Senne
Summary: Water management strategies can significantly impact regional climate and hydrology. Hydropower storage reservoirs in humid regions like Brazil can increase river flow. Reservoir operation in Brazil has a considerable impact on river flows, with higher storage levels leading to increased river flow during wet periods.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jehanzeb Nasir, Adeel Javed, Majid Ali, Kafait Ullah, Syed Ali Abbas Kazmi
Summary: This study investigates the true potential of pumped storage hydropower and its optimal operation with conventional hydropower. The findings suggest that siting pumped storage hydropower near existing conventional hydropower reservoirs can enhance annual energy generation, reduce project costs and carbon emissions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandre Lima de F. Teixeira, Anik Bhaduri, Stuart E. Bunn, Sergio R. Ayrimoraes
Summary: Despite advances in water resources management and planning, the Sao Francisco River Basin in Brazil has faced systematic drought issues in recent years, leading to severe human and environmental water security threats. This paper suggests that increasing investment in green infrastructure, particularly in the Grande River basin upstream, may help reduce externalities and minimize water security risks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pedro Bettencourt, Rodrigo Proenca de Oliveira, Claudia Fulgencio, Angela Canas, Julio Cesar Wasserman
Summary: This study examines the surface water and groundwater balances in Brazil's Sao Francisco River Basin and presents three potential water demand scenarios for 2025 and 2035. The research finds that in certain scenarios, available surface water resources may not be sufficient to meet projected demands, while the groundwater balance is more favorable. However, limited knowledge about groundwater resources creates uncertainties.
Article
Fisheries
Marina Ferreira Moreira, Alexandre Peressin, Paulo Santos Pompeu
Summary: Studies on migratory fish species in Neotropical Basins have focused on adult fishes and their reproductive migration, neglecting the investigation of juveniles' growth and refuge. This research reveals that smaller rivers, especially those near floodplains, serve as the first stop for juveniles after leaving floodplain lakes. It further demonstrates that juveniles move downstream and can be found in larger rivers farther from floodplains as they grow. Therefore, the protection of free-flowing river systems should also include smaller tributaries near floodplain regions.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maria Joao Feio, Robert M. Hughes, Sonia R. Q. Serra, Susan J. Nichols, Ben J. Kefford, Mark Lintermans, Wayne Robinson, Oghenekaro N. Odume, Marcos Callisto, Diego R. Macedo, Jon S. Harding, Adam G. Yates, Wendy Monk, Keigo Nakamura, Terutaka Mori, Masanao Sueyoshi, Norman Mercado-Silva, Kai Chen, Min Jeong Baek, Yeon Jae Bae, Ram Devi Tachamo-Shah, Deep Narayan Shah, Ian Campbell, Nabor Moya, Francis O. Arimoro, Unique N. Keke, Renato T. Martins, Carlos B. M. Alves, Paulo S. Pompeu, Subodh Sharma
Summary: This study evaluated the biological condition of rivers globally and provided recommendations for river ecosystem conservation. The results showed that good biological conditions were associated with good water quality and increased forested areas, while severely impaired conditions were associated with higher human development index scores, poorer water quality, and fewer protected freshwater areas. The study highlights the importance of implementing statutory bioassessment programs in Asian, African, and South American countries.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Fernando M. Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Eduardo Bessa, Lilian Casatti, Domingos Garrone-Neto, Luiz Carlos Gomes, Carla S. Pavanelli, Ana Cristina Petry, Paulo dos Santos Pompeu, Roberto E. Reis, Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Jose Sabino, Leandro Melo de Sousa, Fabio Silveira Vilella, Jansen Zuanon
Summary: The study found that Neotropical freshwater fishes provide multiple benefits to society, including provisioning services such as fisheries and ornamental fish, as well as regulating services like seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. However, human activities have negatively impacted the generation of these ecosystem services, particularly in relation to fishing and food provisioning.
Article
Ecology
Thiago Bernardi Vieira, Jorge Ivan Sanchez-Botero, Danielle Sequeira Garcez, Sergio Maia Queiroz Lima, Carla Simone Pavanelli, Lilian Casatti, Welber Senteio Smith, Evanilde Benedito, Rosana Mazzoni, Paulo Santos Pompeu, Carlos Sergio Agostinho, Luciano Fogaca de Assis Montag, Jansen Zuanon, Pedro De Podesta Uchoa de Aquino, Mauricio Cetra, Simone Almeida Pena, Rafaela Jemely Rodrigues Alexandre, Andressa Sasha Quevedo Alves Oliveira, Francisco Leonardo Tejerina-Garro, Luiz Fernando Duboc, Maria Angelica Perez-Mayorga, Gabriel Lourenco Brejao, Nadayca Thayane Bonani Mateussi, Rafael Pereira Leitao, Paulo De Marco Junior
Summary: For fish in streams, water-energy, productivity, and temporal heterogeneity hypotheses can explain their richness patterns. However, the assumption of spatial stationarity has not been tested extensively across diversity gradients. In this study, we used geographically weighted regression to quantify the spatial stationarity in relationships between fish species richness in small streams throughout Brazil and the aforementioned hypotheses. The results showed a lack of spatial stationarity in fish species richness and suggested that water-energy dynamics act as a metabolic restriction on community structuring.
Article
Geography, Physical
Sarah de Oliveira Saraiva, Philip Robert Kaufmann, Ian Rutherfurd, Cecilia Gontijo Leal, Rafael Pereira Leitao, Diego Rodrigues Macedo, Paulo Santos Pompeu
Summary: Large wood plays a critical role in providing complex habitat structure in tropical rivers and streams. Local factors, such as channel dimensions, discharge, stream power, and riparian forest, are the most important predictors of instream wood. It is crucial to preserve the forested riparian zones in the Amazon and Cerrado streams to maintain the sources of wood and the channel morphology capable of trapping and retaining instream wood.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Debora Reis de Carvalho, Carlos Bernardo Mascarenhas Alves, Paulo Santos Pompeu
Summary: In this study, we analyzed the trophic structure and carbon sources supporting fish assemblages in five low-productivity rivers with different sizes. Using carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, we found that detritus played an important role in sustaining fish assemblages, especially in smaller rivers. We also observed an increasing consumption of autochthonous primary producers with the increase in river size.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bruno R. B. Santos, Fabricio B. Teresa, Pedro P. P. Borges, Lilian Casatti, Francisco L. L. Tejerina-Garro, Paulo S. S. Pompeu, Evanilde Benedito, Fernando R. R. Carvalho, Mauricio Cetra, Murilo S. S. Dias, Yzel R. R. Suarez, Thiago Santos, Gabriel Brejao, Rodrigo A. A. Carvalho
Summary: Non-native species have impacts on freshwater biodiversity, increasing species richness and functional redundancy in headwater streams. However, removing non-native species can restore higher species richness and functional diversity. Non-native species are not directly related to land use, topographic, or connectivity variables, and they have similar responses to the environment compared to native species.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fernando Mayer Pelicice, Angelo Antonio Agostinho, Carlos Bernardo Mascarenhas Alves, Marlene Sofia Arcifa, Valter M. Azevedo-Santos, Marcelo Fulgencio Guedes Brito, Pamella Silva de Brito, Paula Maria Genova de Castro Campanha, Fernando Rogerio Carvalho, Gabriel Costa da Costa, Mario Alberto Cozzuol, Almir Manoel Cunico, Fernando Cesar Paiva Dagosta, Rosa Maria Dias, Rodrigo Fernandes, Ana Clara Sampaio Franco, Diego Azevedo Zoccal Garcia, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Eder Andre Gubiani, Erick Cristofore Guimaraes, Lawrence Ikeda, Axel Makay Katz, Andre Lincoln Barroso Magalhaes, Luciano Fogaca de Assis Montag, Marluce Aparecida Mattos de Paula Nogueira, Mario Luis Orsi, Felipe Polivanov Ottoni, Carla Simone Pavanelli, Thalles Gomes Peixoto, Ana Cristina Petry, Paulo Santos Pompeu, Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos, Luis Reginaldo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Jose Sabino, Wagner Martins Santana Sampaio, Vagner Leonardo Macedo dos Santos, Welber Senteio Smith, Guilherme Souza, Livia Helena Tonella, Jean Ricardo Simoes Vitule
Summary: The introduction of non-native species and resulting biological invasions are prominent features of the Anthropocene Epoch. Some initiatives have emphasized the value and protection of invasive populations, but in the context of megadiverse tropical countries, the protection of highly invasive fishes, such as the peacock basses in Brazil, has raised concerns. Legal instruments have been proposed to restrict fishing and other activities to favor the recruitment, growth, colonization, and spread of these invasive species, but they pose significant risks of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and social conflicts.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raquel L. Carvalho, Angelica F. Resende, Jos Barlow, Filipe M. Franca, Mario R. Moura, Rafaella Maciel, Fernanda Alves-Martins, Jack Shutt, Cassio A. Nunes, Fernando Elias, Juliana M. Silveira, Lis Stegmann, Fabricio B. Baccaro, Leandro Juen, Juliana Schietti, Luiz Aragao, Erika Berenguer, Leandro Castello, Flavia R. C. Costa, Matheus L. Guedes, Cecilia G. Leal, Alexander C. Lees, Victoria Isaac, Rodrigo O. Nascimento, Oliver L. Phillips, Fernando Augusto Schmidt, Hans ter Steege, Fernando Vaz-de-Mello, Eduardo M. Venticinque, Jansen Zuanon, Joice Synergize Consortium, Joice Ferreira
Summary: Biodiversity loss is a major challenge of our time and understanding how ecological communities respond to environmental change is crucial. Despite the availability of global databases, research in tropical regions, especially in the Amazon rainforest, is lacking. This study shows that a significant percentage of understudied areas in the Brazilian Amazonia are vulnerable to climate and land use changes, highlighting the urgent need for action. Rating: 8/10.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Steven J. Cooke, Morgan L. Piczak, Elizabeth A. Nyboer, Fernanda Michalski, Abigail Bennett, Aaron A. Koning, Kathy A. Hughes, Yushun Chen, Jinming Wu, Ian G. Cowx, Lois Koehnken, Rajeev Raghavan, Paulo S. Pompeu, Sui Phang, John Valbo-Jorgensen, Mette Bendixen, Aurora Torres, Abebe Getahun, G. Mathias Kondolf, Michael C. Acreman, Andrew M. Song, William W. Taylor
Summary: This article outlines the impact of human activities on the planet's ecosystems and freshwater biodiversity, and presents methods for protecting and restoring them. By better managing resource extraction and reducing overexploitation, as well as strengthening environmental management and restoring ecosystems, the freshwater biodiversity can be effectively protected and restored. The guidance provided in this article will help practitioners adopt scientific, sustainable, and evidence-based approaches to address resource extraction issues.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Fisheries
Alexandre Peressin, Joao de Magalhaes Lopes, Lidia Wouters, Francisco Ricardo Andrade Neto, Carlos Bernardo Mascarenhas Alves, Paulo Santos Pompeu
Summary: The migratory behavior and spawning of Curimata-pacu were assessed using radio-tagging and egg sampling. Half of the studied individuals migrated upstream in response to the rise in river discharge, while the remaining fish did not exhibit upstream movement. The observed migratory traits resembled those of other congeneric species.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Fernando Marques Quintela, Tulio Franco Teixeira, Paulo Dos Santos Pompeu
Summary: This study conducted an ichthyological survey in the lakes and streams of Lagoa Santa Karst in southeastern Brazil, finding at least 46 fish species, including 5 allochtonous species from other areas.
STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Paulo Santos Pompeu, Lidia Wouters, Heron Oliveira Hilario, Raquel Coelho Loures, Alexandre Peressin, Ivo Gaviao Prado, Fabio Mineo Suzuki, Daniel Cardoso Carvalho
Summary: This study used high sampling frequency and DNA metabarcoding identification to investigate the spatio-temporal distribution of fish eggs in the upper Sao Francisco River in South America. The results showed that non-molecular identification of eggs and decreased sampling frequency can lead to incorrect determination of spawning sites and major breeding periods. Proper identification and adequate sampling frequency are crucial for effective conservation measures.
Article
Zoology
Andressa M. Silva-Sene, Raquel C. L. Fontes, Ivo G. Prado, Paulo S. Pompeu
Summary: This study aimed to understand how migratory fishes use the longitudinal gradient, in an upstream to downstream direction of two free-flowing rivers and two reservoirs in a cascade within the Upper Grande River Basin, Brazil. The numeric abundance, biomass, richness, presence of fingerlings and juveniles, and the macroscopic gonadal maturation stage of migratory fishes were ascertained and evaluated bimonthly for two years. Results showed that recruitment in migratory fishes seems to rely completely on the free-flowing rivers upstream and their floodplains, and transition areas do not seem to have a significant role in recruitment. Therefore, the importance of maintaining the free flow of rivers and the integrity of their floodplains is highlighted.
