Lakes zoning for conservation and management of the Pirarucu fish in the Lago do Cedro Extractive Reserve, Municipality of Aruanã, State of Goiás, Brazil

Abstract

The Lago do Cedro Extractive Reserve is located on the right bank of the middle Araguaia River course, five miles north of the Aruanã city, State of Goiás, Brazil.It is estimated that approximately 52% of the area of the reserve is located in the floodplains of the Araguaia River. The floodplains of the Araguaia River are considered one of the largest wetland areas of the Brazilian Cerrado and have high ecological value. The high human pressure on the wetland areas led to the creation of the Lago do Cedro Extractive Reserve in 2006. Among other factors, this Reserve has the purpose of reducing human pressure on these areas to allow sustainable regional economic development. This article aims to evaluate morphological and morphometric characteristics of the lakes found in the Reserve in order to determine the lakes that should be conserved for preservation of the Pirarucu fish.  Result was the zoning of the lakes located in the floodplain of the Araguaia River in the Reserve that was divided into two zones:  Preservation Zone and Exploration Zone of the Pirarucu fish.