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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