O presente trabalho fez parte do Projeto QualiSed, uma cooperação entre UFSCar, Unicamp e Cetesb, o qual realizou um levantamento das bases técnico-científicas para a derivação de critérios de qualidade de sedimentos (CQS) para proteção da fauna aquática dos ecossistemas. Nos últimos anos tem havido um grande interesse no desenvolvimento, aperfeiçoamento e aplicação de metodologias para avaliar o grau de contaminação de sedimentos. Estes, apesar de fornecerem habitat para muitos organismos aquáticos, também constituem, um importante depósito para muitos dos mais persistentes químicos que são introduzidos no ambiente. Visando comparar diferentes metodologias que foram desenvolvidas nos últimos anos para avaliar a toxicidade de contaminantes associados a sedimentos de água doce, subsidiando o estabelecimento de protocolos dos procedimentos de testes considerados mais adequados e analisando a qualidade do sedimento de alguns reservatórios do Estado de São Paulo, foram realizados testes de toxicidade aguda, utilizando-se o anfípodo Hyalella azteca como organismo-teste. Foram testados os sedimentos dos reservatórios Billings, Rasgão, Barra Bonita, Bariri e Promissão, além do sedimento do reservatório Pedro Beicht, que foi considerado sedimento controle. Conclui-se que, por meio dos resultados dos testes de toxicidade aguda, que o procedimento sugerido por BORGMANN & NORWOOD (1999) é simples e fácil de ser implantado, enquanto que o teste proposto pela USEPA (1994) é muito trabalhoso, pois exige calibração e monitoramento diário, apresentando um custo inicial bem mais elevado. Em relação à qualidade do sedimento dos reservatórios testados, o reservatório Billings não apresentou toxicidade aguda para nenhuma das amostras testadas, embora os resultados das análises químicas tenham evidenciado a presença de níveis elevados de metais pesados e de contaminantes orgânicos. Verificou-se toxicidade aguda nos reservatórios de Rasgão e Barra Bonita em todas as amostras testadas, e no reservatório de Bariri nas amostras coletadas em junho/2000, diferindo do reservatório de Promissão, o qual não apresentou toxicidade em nenhuma das amostras testadas. Entretanto, o reservatório não está livre de contaminação, já que foram encontrados níveis elevados de arsênio, níquel e cromo. / The present work was part of QualiSed Project, a cooperation among UFSCar, Unicamp and Cetesb, which conducted a survey of technical and scientific bases for derivation of sediment quality criteria (CQS) for protection of ecosystem aquatic fauna. In the last years, there has been a great concern in development, improvement and application of methodologies to evaluate the degree of contamination of sediments, which, although provide habitat to many aquatic organisms, constitute an important deposit for many of the most persistent chemicals added to the environment. Aiming to compare different methodologies to evaluate toxicity of contaminants associated with fresh water sediments, in order to subsidize the establishment of test procedure protocols considered more suitable and to analyse the quality of sediments of some reservoirs of the State of São Paulo, tests on acute toxicity were performed, by using the amphipod Hyalella azteca as test-organism. Sediments of Billings, Rasgão, Barra Bonita, Bariri and Promissão reservoirs were tested, in addition to sediments of Pedro Beicht reservoir which was considered the control sediment. The results of acute toxicity tests showed that the procedure suggested by BORGMANN & NORWOOD (1999) is simple and easy to implement, while the test proposed by USEPA (1994) is quite laborius, since it requires calibration and daily monitoring, presenting a more elevated initial cost. In relation to the quality of sediment ofreservoirs tested, Billings reservoir did not present acute toxicity to any samples tested, while chemical analysis results evidenced the presence of high levels of heavy metals and organic contaminants. Acute toxicity was found in Rasgão and Barra Bonita reservoirs in all samples tested, and at Bariri reservoir in samples collected in June/2000, differing from Promissão reservoir, which did not present toxicity in any samples tested. However, the reservoir is not free of contamination, since high levels of arsenic, nickel and chrome were found.

O presente trabalho fez parte do Projeto QualiSed, uma cooperação entre UFSCar, Unicamp e Cetesb, o qual realizou um levantamento das bases técnico-científicas para a derivação de critérios de qualidade de sedimentos (CQS) para proteção da fauna aquática dos ecossistemas. Nos últimos anos tem havido um grande interesse no desenvolvimento, aperfeiçoamento e aplicação de metodologias para avaliar o grau de contaminação de sedimentos. Estes, apesar de fornecerem habitat para muitos organismos aquáticos, também constituem, um importante depósito para muitos dos mais persistentes químicos que são introduzidos no ambiente. Visando comparar diferentes metodologias que foram desenvolvidas nos últimos anos para avaliar a toxicidade de contaminantes associados a sedimentos de água doce, subsidiando o estabelecimento de protocolos dos procedimentos de testes considerados mais adequados e analisando a qualidade do sedimento de alguns reservatórios do Estado de São Paulo, foram realizados testes de toxicidade aguda, utilizando-se o anfípodo Hyalella azteca como organismo-teste. Foram testados os sedimentos dos reservatórios Billings, Rasgão, Barra Bonita, Bariri e Promissão, além do sedimento do reservatório Pedro Beicht, que foi considerado sedimento controle. Conclui-se que, por meio dos resultados dos testes de toxicidade aguda, que o procedimento sugerido por BORGMANN & NORWOOD (1999) é simples e fácil de ser implantado, enquanto que o teste proposto pela USEPA (1994) é muito trabalhoso, pois exige calibração e monitoramento diário, apresentando um custo inicial bem mais elevado. Em relação à qualidade do sedimento dos reservatórios testados, o reservatório Billings não apresentou toxicidade aguda para nenhuma das amostras testadas, embora os resultados das análises químicas tenham evidenciado a presença de níveis elevados de metais pesados e de contaminantes orgânicos. Verificou-se toxicidade aguda nos reservatórios de Rasgão e Barra Bonita em todas as amostras testadas, e no reservatório de Bariri nas amostras coletadas em junho/2000, diferindo do reservatório de Promissão, o qual não apresentou toxicidade em nenhuma das amostras testadas. Entretanto, o reservatório não está livre de contaminação, já que foram encontrados níveis elevados de arsênio, níquel e cromo. / The present work was part of QualiSed Project, a cooperation among UFSCar, Unicamp and Cetesb, which conducted a survey of technical and scientific bases for derivation of sediment quality criteria (CQS) for protection of ecosystem aquatic fauna. In the last years, there has been a great concern in development, improvement and application of methodologies to evaluate the degree of contamination of sediments, which, although provide habitat to many aquatic organisms, constitute an important deposit for many of the most persistent chemicals added to the environment. Aiming to compare different methodologies to evaluate toxicity of contaminants associated with fresh water sediments, in order to subsidize the establishment of test procedure protocols considered more suitable and to analyse the quality of sediments of some reservoirs of the State of São Paulo, tests on acute toxicity were performed, by using the amphipod Hyalella azteca as test-organism. Sediments of Billings, Rasgão, Barra Bonita, Bariri and Promissão reservoirs were tested, in addition to sediments of Pedro Beicht reservoir which was considered the control sediment. The results of acute toxicity tests showed that the procedure suggested by BORGMANN & NORWOOD (1999) is simple and easy to implement, while the test proposed by USEPA (1994) is quite laborius, since it requires calibration and daily monitoring, presenting a more elevated initial cost. In relation to the quality of sediment ofreservoirs tested, Billings reservoir did not present acute toxicity to any samples tested, while chemical analysis results evidenced the presence of high levels of heavy metals and organic contaminants. Acute toxicity was found in Rasgão and Barra Bonita reservoirs in all samples tested, and at Bariri reservoir in samples collected in June/2000, differing from Promissão reservoir, which did not present toxicity in any samples tested. However, the reservoir is not free of contamination, since high levels of arsenic, nickel and chrome were found.

A study to determine some ecosystem level effects of an aquatic invertebrate grazer, Hyalella azteca, was performed in aquatic ix microcosms. Impact of the grazer was assessed in three general areas: 1) inorganic nutrient levels of the microcosm water column, 2) productivity and respiration of the biotic community, and 3) plant community composition in the microcosms. The grazing amphipod caused inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen (except ammonia) levels to be elevated in the microcosms. The increase was due, at least partially, to excretion of nutrients into the water by the amphipod. The presence of H. azteca did not significantly alter levels of gross productivity for the whole system nor for the sediment surface. Productivity to respiration ratios were significantly reduced by the grazing amphipod, indicating the amphipod was inhibiting plant biomass accumulation even though gross productivity was not affected. Systems exposed to amphipod grazing had a twenty-five percent lower plant biomass than controls at the termination of the experiment. Gross productivity to plant biomass ratios were significantly higher in grazed systems, indicating a more actively growing plant community was being maintained by the grazer's activities. Plant community composition was significantly altered by the amphipod. Chara biomass was higher in grazed systems, while filamentous algae, blue-green algal colonies and periphyton had significantly higher biomasses in the control systems. The phosphorus distribution within the grazed microcosms was significantly different from that found in the controls. More phosphorus was incorporated into filamentous algae, blue-green algal colonies and the overall plant compartment in the control, while Chara and the water column contained more phosphorus in the grazed microcosms. The amphipod also caused the percent content of phosphorus to be higher in certain plant categories.

<p>Abstract</p><p>In Oneida Lake, New York, USA, three species of amphipods are present: Hyalella azteca is native, Gammarus fasciatus is invasive and was first observed sometime before 1940 and Echinogammarus ischnus was introduced in 2001 in shallow water. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal abundance of amphipods in Oneida Lake. In the Great Lakes, the invasive E. ischnus has outcompeted G. fasciatus and this was also expected to be occur in Oneida Lake. Quantitative field sampling of transects that extended from the shore to deeper water (3.8 m) at six sites around Oneida Lake showed that the abundance of all amphipod species had a positive correlation to the abundance of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Echinogammarus ischnus were observed at low densities (mean, 18 no./m2) in shallow water (<0.6 m) areas with cobbles covered with zebra mussels, whereas just a few individuals were found in deep water. At all depths, G. fasciatus were found at high densities (mean 950 no./m2), and H. azteca were present at low densities (mean 77 no./m2). The main factor limiting E. ischnus and its coexistence with G. fasciatus is the lack of favourable habitat i.e. too few cobble areas and too much Cladophora spp. and other macrophyte species growing in the lake. In addition, exposure of shallow water habitats every fall and winter as a consequence of water level manipulations produces unfavorable habitat for E. ischnus.</p> / <p>Sammanfattning</p><p>I sjön Oneida Lake, New York, USA, finns tre arter av märlkräftor (Amphipoda): Hyalella azteca är naturligt förekommande i sjön, Gammarus fasciatus hittades för första gången någon gång före år 1940 och Echinogammarus ischnus hittades för första gången 2001 på grunt vatten. Syftet med studien var att undersöka märlkräftornas utbredning och abundans över tid i Oneida Lake. I de Stora sjöarna (the Great Lakes) i Nordamerika har den invaderande E. ischnus konkurrerat ut G. fasciatus och samma sak förväntades att finna i Oneida Lake. I fält togs kvantitativa stickprover i transekter från strandlinjen och ut till djupt vatten (3,8 m), dessa visade att samtliga märlkräftsarter hade en positiv abundans korrelation med zebra musslor (Dreissena polymorpha). E. ischnus hittades i låga densiteter (medel 18 st/m2) på stenar täckta med zebra musslor på grunt vatten (<0,6 m) och endast ett fåtal individer hittades på djupt vatten. I Oneida Lake på alla djup hittades G. fasciatus i höga densiteter (medel 950 st/m2) medan H. azteca endast fanns i låga densiteter (medel 77 st/m2). Största anledningen till E. ischnus begränsning till samexistens med G. fasciatus är avsaknaden av gynnade habitat i sjön, det vill säga för få områden med stenar, samt att det växer för mycket alger (Cladophora spp.) och andra växter i sjön vilket missgynnar E. ischnus. Även vattennivåreglering under höst och vinter är ogynnsam för E. ischnus, då habitat på grunt vatten blir exponerande.</p>

Abstract In Oneida Lake, New York, USA, three species of amphipods are present: Hyalella azteca is native, Gammarus fasciatus is invasive and was first observed sometime before 1940 and Echinogammarus ischnus was introduced in 2001 in shallow water. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal abundance of amphipods in Oneida Lake. In the Great Lakes, the invasive E. ischnus has outcompeted G. fasciatus and this was also expected to be occur in Oneida Lake. Quantitative field sampling of transects that extended from the shore to deeper water (3.8 m) at six sites around Oneida Lake showed that the abundance of all amphipod species had a positive correlation to the abundance of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Echinogammarus ischnus were observed at low densities (mean, 18 no./m2) in shallow water (&lt;0.6 m) areas with cobbles covered with zebra mussels, whereas just a few individuals were found in deep water. At all depths, G. fasciatus were found at high densities (mean 950 no./m2), and H. azteca were present at low densities (mean 77 no./m2). The main factor limiting E. ischnus and its coexistence with G. fasciatus is the lack of favourable habitat i.e. too few cobble areas and too much Cladophora spp. and other macrophyte species growing in the lake. In addition, exposure of shallow water habitats every fall and winter as a consequence of water level manipulations produces unfavorable habitat for E. ischnus. / Sammanfattning I sjön Oneida Lake, New York, USA, finns tre arter av märlkräftor (Amphipoda): Hyalella azteca är naturligt förekommande i sjön, Gammarus fasciatus hittades för första gången någon gång före år 1940 och Echinogammarus ischnus hittades för första gången 2001 på grunt vatten. Syftet med studien var att undersöka märlkräftornas utbredning och abundans över tid i Oneida Lake. I de Stora sjöarna (the Great Lakes) i Nordamerika har den invaderande E. ischnus konkurrerat ut G. fasciatus och samma sak förväntades att finna i Oneida Lake. I fält togs kvantitativa stickprover i transekter från strandlinjen och ut till djupt vatten (3,8 m), dessa visade att samtliga märlkräftsarter hade en positiv abundans korrelation med zebra musslor (Dreissena polymorpha). E. ischnus hittades i låga densiteter (medel 18 st/m2) på stenar täckta med zebra musslor på grunt vatten (&lt;0,6 m) och endast ett fåtal individer hittades på djupt vatten. I Oneida Lake på alla djup hittades G. fasciatus i höga densiteter (medel 950 st/m2) medan H. azteca endast fanns i låga densiteter (medel 77 st/m2). Största anledningen till E. ischnus begränsning till samexistens med G. fasciatus är avsaknaden av gynnade habitat i sjön, det vill säga för få områden med stenar, samt att det växer för mycket alger (Cladophora spp.) och andra växter i sjön vilket missgynnar E. ischnus. Även vattennivåreglering under höst och vinter är ogynnsam för E. ischnus, då habitat på grunt vatten blir exponerande.

Dietary cadmium (Cd) can contribute significantly to chronic bioaccumulation and toxicity in aquatic organisms. This contribution needs to be quantified so that the relative importance of waterborne and dietary cadmium exposure pathways can be incorporated into protective water quality guidelines and ecological risk assessments. In this research, the contribution of dietary Cd from a natural periphyton diet to chronic (28 d) bioaccumulation and toxicity in the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca was quantified using a mechanistically-based saturation bioaccumulation model. Factors that influence dietary Cd bioavailability such as food type, food form, dietary Cd speciation and concentration were investigated. Assimilation efficiency, ingestion rate and the excretion rate constant of dietary Cd were determined for each of these factors. Food nutrition was also considered. Lastly, model predictions of Cd bioaccumulation and toxicity were compared to measurements of tissue concentration and survival when H. azteca were exposed to metal contaminated water and periphyton collected from lakes in the metal mining region of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. In 28 d laboratory experiments where H. azteca bioaccumulated Cd from water and food, dietary Cd was estimated to contribute markedly (21 – 94 %) to bioaccumulated Cd in H. azteca. Effects on chronic survival were best predicted from body concentration rather than water or food exposure concentration. Assimilation efficiency of dietary Cd differed with food type likely as a result of Cd speciation, but did not differ with Cd concentration or food form. Ingestion rate differed with food form while excretion rate constants were unaffected by dietary Cd bioavailability. Predictions of chronic Cd bioaccumulation in H. azteca exposed to field contaminated samples were robust, however the model did not account for effects of water chemistry on Cd bioaccumulation and is thus constrained in its application. Predictions of chronic survival were over-estimated likely due to the additional toxicity caused by the low nutritional quality of the field contaminated periphyton. This research demonstrated that both waterborne and dietary Cd need to be considered in models that assess chronic risk of exposure and effects to H. azteca.

The biological diversity on planet Earth is astounding. Understanding the origins of this diversity, and how it is maintained, are the twin goals of ecology and evolutionary biology. An early and oft-repeated insight in this investigation is that that similar organisms cannot coexist indefinitely. Theory predicts that individuals and species will compete for limited resources and whichever has even a slight advantage will drive all others extinct in a process known as ‘competitive exclusion’. By diversifying, species avoid competition, thereby ‘stabilizing’ their coexistence. Yet natural systems often display levels of diversity that are surprisingly high, given this theory and investigations of how the similarity of coexisting species is maintained have received much less attention. Using a combination of field studies and experiments I demonstrate that highly similar species of freshwater amphipods may compete for resources without resulting in competitive exclusion. These findings suggest that there exist a range of interactions among Hyalella amphipods, ranging from strong stabilizing effects due to ecological trade-offs, to weakly stabilizing effects, to a total lack of stabilizing effects among various pairs of species in this system. These findings demonstrate how the relative strength of stabilizing forces may vary among coexisting species. Although much effort has been dedicated to enumerating and classifying the ways in which ecological and evolutionary forces promote diversity among species, there has been far less attention paid to mechanisms such as convergent evolution, habitat filtering, competition for non-substitutable resources, and non-ecological speciation, among others. I surveyed current theory that may explain the high levels of similarity among species often found in natural systems. I describe how several ecological and evolutionary mechanisms may operate to promote the coexistence of similar species and present results from new theoretical combinations of mechanisms to demonstrate how they may further act in concert with one another. / text

Dietary cadmium (Cd) can contribute significantly to chronic bioaccumulation and toxicity in aquatic organisms. This contribution needs to be quantified so that the relative importance of waterborne and dietary cadmium exposure pathways can be incorporated into protective water quality guidelines and ecological risk assessments. In this research, the contribution of dietary Cd from a natural periphyton diet to chronic (28 d) bioaccumulation and toxicity in the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca was quantified using a mechanistically-based saturation bioaccumulation model. Factors that influence dietary Cd bioavailability such as food type, food form, dietary Cd speciation and concentration were investigated. Assimilation efficiency, ingestion rate and the excretion rate constant of dietary Cd were determined for each of these factors. Food nutrition was also considered. Lastly, model predictions of Cd bioaccumulation and toxicity were compared to measurements of tissue concentration and survival when H. azteca were exposed to metal contaminated water and periphyton collected from lakes in the metal mining region of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. In 28 d laboratory experiments where H. azteca bioaccumulated Cd from water and food, dietary Cd was estimated to contribute markedly (21 – 94 %) to bioaccumulated Cd in H. azteca. Effects on chronic survival were best predicted from body concentration rather than water or food exposure concentration. Assimilation efficiency of dietary Cd differed with food type likely as a result of Cd speciation, but did not differ with Cd concentration or food form. Ingestion rate differed with food form while excretion rate constants were unaffected by dietary Cd bioavailability. Predictions of chronic Cd bioaccumulation in H. azteca exposed to field contaminated samples were robust, however the model did not account for effects of water chemistry on Cd bioaccumulation and is thus constrained in its application. Predictions of chronic survival were over-estimated likely due to the additional toxicity caused by the low nutritional quality of the field contaminated periphyton. This research demonstrated that both waterborne and dietary Cd need to be considered in models that assess chronic risk of exposure and effects to H. azteca.

Submitted by Alberto Vieira (martins_vieira@ibest.com.br) on 2017-09-19T17:30:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 200939.pdf: 5887897 bytes, checksum: 6bc012a89a34a6aaba00a67e985d0879 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-19T17:30:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 200939.pdf: 5887897 bytes, checksum: 6bc012a89a34a6aaba00a67e985d0879 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1983 / Estudo sistemático das espécies de Hyalella Smith, 1874 (Crustacea-Amphipoda) com base em material obtido em diferentes localidades do território brasileiro, e que se acha depositado na coleção carcinológica do Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. Foram encontradas 6 espécies, das quais 4 (Hyalella azteca, H. pernix, H. warmingi, H. meinerti) já haviam sido citadas para o Brasil e duas (H serrana, H. caeca) são consideradas novas para a ciência. Todas, como é peculiar no gênero, habitam água doce sendo que H. caeca é tipicamente troglóbia, H. warmingi é troglofila e as demais são epígeas. H. longistila (Faxon) também descrita para o Brasil, não foi encontrada no material estudado, razão pela qual não é aqui tratada. Além de uma chave de classificação para as espécies conhecidas do Brasil, é apresentada uma descrição detalhada de cada uma das 6 espécies estudadas, acompanhada de figuras, discussão, indicação da distribuição geográfica e localidade - tipo, quando for o caso. Consta também do trabalho, uma lista de todas as espécies conhecidas de Hyalella no mundo, com indicação em um mapa, da distribuição geográfica de cada. A distribuição das 6 espécies brasileiras aqui tratadas, de acordo com as localidades em que os espécimes foram coletados, é também mostrada num mapa à parte. / A systematic is made of the species of Hyalella Smith (Crustacea-Amphipoda) based on material gathered at different points of the Brazilian territory, which is kept at the carcinological collection of the Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. Six species were found, four of which (Hyalella azteca, H. pernix, H. warmingi, H. meinerti) have been previously recorded for Brazil and were considered new to science (H serrana, H. caeca). All are, as peculiar to the genus, fresh water dwellers, H. caeca being typically troglobitic, H. warmingi occasionally so, and the remaining ones epigean. H. longistila (Faxon) also record from Brazil, has not been found in the material studied, and therefore is not here dealed with. Besides a Key for species known to occur in Brazil, detailed descriptions and illustrations are given for each of the six species studied and also their geographical distribution and type-locality. A list is also included of the species of Hyaella of the world with record on a map of their geographical distribution. The distribution of the six brazilian species here studied, showing the localities where the specimens were collected, is also present on a separate map.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Research on aspects of a population are essential because they provide information not only about the biology of the species, but of all their connection to the environment too. The objective of this study was to characterize the population structure and reproductive biology of two species of Hyalella Smith, 1874: Hyalella sp. 1 (animals samples in nascent) and Hyalella sp. 2 (individuals sampled in weir). To this end we assessed the size of the animals, the frequency distribution by size classes of cephalothorax length (CC) and total, seasonal, monthly, and size classes of CC sex ratio, reproductive period, recruitment, sexual maturity, frequency pairing and fertility. The specimens were collected with the aid of netting for 12 months in a nascent and in a weir, located on Sítio Taqui, in the city of Palmeira das Missões, state of Rio Grande do Sul (27 °53'56 "S - 53°18 '50"W). Sex and the condition of ovigerous females were recorded and all specimens were measured as cephalothorax length (mm). Both species analyzed in this study showed frequency distribution classes bimodal in total and seasonal size in both males and females. Males had body size (cephalothorax length) bigger than females. The sex ratio favored females in the overall analysis monthly and seasonal. The reproduction was seasonal and the recruitment showed continuous and sexual maturity of males is higher than those attained with female size. Individuals of the species Hyalella sp. 1 showed higher mid body size among individuals of species Hyalella sp. 2. Couples in pre-copulatory behavior were sampled throughout the year and correlation was observed between the size of males and females in couples in pre-copulation, ie large males carry large females in both species of Hyalella. Positive correlation between cephalothorax length (CC) of the females and the number of eggs and juveniles produced and also a reduction in the number of eggs during embryonic development was observed for Hyalella sp. 1. The mean fecundity of Hyalella sp. 1 was significantly superior to Hyalella sp. 2. The number of eggs produced over the seasons remained constant in both species of Hyalella. In this study the species of Hyalella showed a different population dynamics and reproductive which may be due to the strategies adopted life and the adjustments to the type of environment in which they live. / As pesquisas sobre os aspectos de uma população são essenciais, pois fornecem informações não somente sobre a biologia das espécies, mas de toda sua conexão com o ambiente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a estrutura populacional e a biologia reprodutiva de duas espécies do gênero Hyalella Smith, 1874: Hyalella sp. 1 (exemplares amostrados em uma nascente) e Hyalella sp. 2 (exemplares amostrados em um açude). Para tal foram avaliados o tamanho dos animais, a distribuição de frequência em classes comprimento do cefalotórax (CC) total e sazonal, a proporção sexual total, mensal, sazonal e por classes de tamanho de CC, o período reprodutivo, o recrutamento, a maturidade sexual, a frequência de pareamento e a fecundidade. Os espécimes foram coletados com auxílio puçá, durante 12 meses, uma nascente um açude Sítio Taqui no município Palmeira das Missões, Estado Rio Grande Sul 27°53′56″S - 53°18′ 50″W). O sexo condição ovígera fêmeas registrados todos os mensurados quanto ao mm). Ambas as espécies analisadas no presente estudo apresentaram distribuição de frequência em classes de tamanho total e sazonal bimodal tanto em machos como em fêmeas, os machos apresentaram tamanho corpóreo (comprimento do cefalotórax médio) superior ao das fêmeas, a proporção sexual favoreceu as fêmeas nas análises total, mensal e sazonal, a reprodução foi sazonal o recrutamento apresentou-se contínuo e a maturidade sexual dos machos é alcançada com tamanho superiores aos das fêmeas. indivíduos da espécie Hyalella sp. 1 apresentaram corpóreo médio superior aos 2. Os casais em comportamento pré-copulatório foram amostrados ao longo do ano foi observada correlação entre machos nos casais pré-copula, ou seja, grandes carregam ambas espécies Hyalella. Foi observado correlação positiva entre o comprimento do cefalotórax (CC) das fêmeas ovígeras e o número de ovos e juvenis produzidos e também uma redução do número de ovos ao longo do desenvolvimento embrionário para Hyalella sp. 1. A fecundidade média de Hyalella sp. 1 foi significativamente superior à de Hyalella sp. 2. O número de ovos produzidos ao longo das estações do ano se manteve constante em ambas as espécies de Hyalella. Neste estudo as espécies de Hyalella apresentaram uma dinâmica populacional e reprodutiva diferentes o que pode ser decorrência das estratégias de vida adotadas e das adaptações ao tipo de ambiente em que vivem.