Impacts of Modified Forest Landscapes on Tropical Fish Assemblages

A critical shift in tropical fish assemblages, particularly among ecologically specialized species, is triggered by forest conversion to agro-crop landscapes. While community-level changes were not robustly detected, the study found that the Critically Endangered loach Schistura madhavai exhibited a strong preference for forested streams, highlighting its sensitivity to habitat modification. The research, conducted in Sinharaja Forest Reserve’s submontane streams, revealed that forest conversion alters environmental gradients such as hydrology, water chemistry, and substrate, thereby reshaping habitats preferred by S. madhavai. Species-level responses were more pronounced than community-wide patterns, underscoring the importance of indicator species in detecting biodiversity changes. The findings suggest that conservation strategies for range-restricted endemics must incorporate species-specific ecological requirements to mitigate the impacts of habitat disturbance.

Bandara, J., Nanayakkara, S., & Randeniya, S. (2026). Impacts of Modified Forest Landscapes on Tropical Fish Assemblages. Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 35(3). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70053