Abstract

FERNANDEZ, Hugo R; ROMERO, Fátima; PERALTA, Marcela  and  GROSSO, Luis. Zoobenthic diversity in mountain rivers of northwestern Argentina: a comparison among six rivers. Ecol. austral [online]. 2001, vol.11, n.1, pp.9-16. ISSN 1667-782X.

The structure of the benthic community of six rivers belonging to three subtropical basins from northwestern Argentina is analyzed. All the sampling stations were located in the mountain rain forest (Yungas) ecoregion. Seventy-eight taxa were recorded, although with a great difference in the total individual density among the considered rivers. Based on their taxonomic similarity (50%), three stations grouped together: Medina, Yala and Candelaria rivers (with more than 35 taxa), while the remaining rivers (Pueblo Viejo, Piedras and Conchas) formed a second group (with 27 taxa or fewer). According to rarefaction analysis of subsamples of 250 individuals, species richness clearly separates Yala and Conchas rivers from the others. According to the Correspondence Analysis, stations were ordered following the gradients of magnitude and altitude of the rivers. The groups formed by taxonomic similarity, rarefaction and Correspondence Analysis were due more to local peculiarities rather than to basin characteristics.

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