Abstract
In freshwater ecosystems, introducing exotic species has been a long-term problem, altering the flow of matter and energy in biotic communities. The effects of introduced organisms on aquatic ecosystems depend on the magnitude of the interactions between native and introduced species. Such interactions are complex and have been little studied in the Colombian Andean region. In this context, our study analyzed variations in the assembly of phytoperiphytic algal communities in streams with and without Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) and under different types of vegetation cover (forests versus pastures and crops). A total density of 119,600 organisms/cm³ was recorded, distributed across four phyla, six classes, 22 orders, 31 families, and 41 genera. Of the four treatments evaluated, treatments three and four recorded the highest periphyton densities, with the Bacillariophyta division being present in all treatments. No significant differences were found between treatments regarding the presence of rainbow trout in the streams. This study provides baseline information on the influence of the introduction of O. mykiss on the phytoperiphytic algal community in Andean streams.
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