The Paraguay and Pantanal:Biodiversity, Ecology and

Sustainable Use

Barry Chernoff

These materials are copyrighted and are intended for use by the audience for the presentation on 2 October 2002 only. Neither the presentation, nor any of the materials, images, or data may be duplicated or distributed without prior written permission from Barry Chernoff.

Purpose of Presentation

• Review Methodology & Philosophy of Rapid Assessment Programs

• Pantanal and Paraguay Ecosystems

• Hidrovia and Fishery Economics

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Rio Paraguay Basin>2,800,000 km2

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Tropics

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Basin Size Discharge (sq. mi) (cu. ft/sec)

Amazon 4,340,000 6,180,000

Mississippi 3,236,212 700,000

Paraguay 1,154,059 100

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Late-early Paleocene 60-61 MYA

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Proposed Hidrovia

2250 km

1444 mi

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Hidrovia“Grand Plan”

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Plants basin – > 8000 spp. Pantanal > 3400 spp. Endemism < 10%

Source: V. Potts 13

Pantanal

contains > 75% of all species 90% of all genera 99% of all familiesof Neotropical Aquatic Plants!

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Aquatic Macrophytes – 400-500 spp.

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Decapod Crustaceans 12 spp.

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Fishes (n=30,000)

# species % End. % FishesSouth America > 9,000 95% >30.

Amazon Basin >6,000 >30% >20.

Paraguay Basin >600 >30% > 2.

Orinoco >1,500 >30% > 5.

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Paraguay Basin

60 Reptiles

70 Amphibians

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