How do major hydroelectric dams create an ecological bottleneck for *H. zebra*?
Answer
By altering hydrography faster than evolution can adapt
The construction of major dams fundamentally modifies the river's hydrography, resulting in a rapid shift away from the established, necessary physiochemical parameters like laminar flow and high oxygenation required by *H. zebra*. This rapid environmental modification acts as an ecological bottleneck because the pace of habitat destruction and alteration far exceeds the species' inherent ability to evolve compensatory countermeasures through the slow process of natural selection, placing immediate and severe stress on the wild population.
#Videos
Pleco Biologist talks Pleco Evolution (The Phylogenetics ... - YouTube
Related Questions
To which family does the black and white banded *Hypancistrus zebra* belong?To what specific river basin is *H. zebra* historically confined?What was the IUCN status of *H. zebra* following its 2016 re-evaluation?What anthropogenic activity most impacts the survival trajectory of wild *H. zebra*?What environmental parameters define the native habitat of *H. zebra* in the middle Xingu?What is the likely evolutionary purpose of the striking black and white banding on *H. zebra*?Which genus confirms the Zebra Pleco's identity as a member of the armored catfish group?What historical reliance for the aquarium trade initially placed unchecked pressure on wild *H. zebra* stocks?How do major hydroelectric dams create an ecological bottleneck for *H. zebra*?What genetic responsibility is now carried by the population existing outside the Xingu river system?