Body size responses to land use in stream fish: the importance of different metrics and functional groups

Abstract Body size influences the effect of individuals and assemblages on ecosystem functioning defines how they respond to changes. We evaluated body structure fish functional groups human modifications at catchment, riparian local scales in 40 streams Pampa grasslands, southern Brazil. To describe structure, we calculated mean, coefficient variation, skewness, kurtosis, using individual biomass data for entire separately by group. The results suggested that response depends metrics, group, spatial scale land use. From 11 groups, only five showed a clear In general, most had higher concentration small sizes (left-skewed) increased use measured distinct (local, riparian, catchment), greater narrow central distribution (higher kurtosis). However, responses were complex varied between groups. conclude considering ecomorphological trophic features group assessing multiple metrics contributed greatly detecting influence size.