Tropical and subtropical streams: a synthesis

Abstract

Tropical and sub-tropical streams harbor great biodiversity and are responsible for crucial ecosystem services. Intending to contribute to the understanding of how anthropogenic stressors and pressures alter functional or taxonomic diversity in biotic assemblages or processes in these systems, Water Biology and Security published eight papers. The research originated from Cameroon (Central Africa), southeastern Brazil, eastern Amazonia, and eastern China, representing eight river basins: Huai, Sui and Yishusi from east Asia; São Francisco, Doce, Jequitinhonha, and Amazon from South America; and Congo from Africa. The last two are the most biodiverse on the planet. The studied biomes included tropical rainforest and savanna, neotropical savanna and rainforest, neotropical savanna mountains, and subtropical monsoon forest. The response variables included fish assemblages (3 papers), entire macroinvertebrate assemblages or sub-groups (4 papers), and stream physical habitat structure (1 paper).