Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon is situated at the south of Carioca Mountain Ridge, which is mostly covered on its southern slope with forest in good conditions.
Today, Macacos River basin has the best forest conservation conditions within the entire Tijuca Massif. There is Pai Ricardo Woods, known for its primary Atlantic Forest formation in Rio de Janeiro city.
Vegetation surrounding the Lagoon has been strongly modified due to reduced water surface, with original samples of only Paspalum vaginatum and Typha dormingensis (Ambiental, 2002).
In the 90's, vegetation surrounding the Lagoon went through a recuperation process due to a work developed by the biologist Mário Moscatelli, coordinating a work group who devoted part of their efforts to replant mangrove species bordering the Lagoon (Avicennia shaueriana, Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, among others), relying on the cooperation from COMLURB.
This initiative brought the fauna back, considering that countless crustaceans, mollusks and a significant number of avifauna search for estuarine environments, which provide them with a more sheltered space for reproduction and nesting. Vegetation surrounding the Lagoon had good growth, resulting in its stable cover and providing stability to the inhabitant fauna.
It is relevant to highlight that existing Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon's mangrove derives from the initiative made by the biologist mentioned above, which was extended to a perimeter of approximately 3,000 meters and a 3-5 meter wide plantation, with the support by NGOs, SERLA, SMAC and City's University Center (Ambiental, 2002).
There are many studies regarding Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, their associated problems of sanitation and fish mortality. However, only few of them address ichthyofauna pertaining to this system and the existing ones are obsolete.
Among them, we can highlight Andreata (2005), who studied Lagoon's ichthyofauna with the aim to cooperate with fishing management. Therefore, his work was conducted based on his database ranging from March 1991 to February 2005.
Main genres retrieved from this database were Mugil (white mullets and mullets), followed by Centropomus (snooks). Among freshwater fish species, guppies (Poecilia vivípara, Phalloptychus januarius and Jenynsia multidentata) can be highlighted, which are small and has low commercial value. However, its importance is to control the larvae of insects that cause diseases, besides the fact they are forage, serving as food for carnivorous fishes and birds (ANDREATA, 2005).
Marginal Regions have a greater amount of animals, implying the importance of such areas comprised of marginal vegetation that serve as shelter, food and growth for ichthyological fauna.
The variation of salinity gradient has significantly changed current Lagoon's ichthyofauna conditions, making most of the marine fishes to move away from the estuarine environment. It caused the Lagoon to no longer be the place of birth for many marine species, once they can not recognize the environment as before (estuarine). Its use as a safe area for spawning and feeding decreased strongly. Currently, around ten marine species have been collected from a total of 51 registrations made in the course of a history of studies made within Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon.
Birds that attend Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon are attracted by the surrounding vegetation. It is of great importance for bird reproduction and maintenance of biodiversity, and was reintroduced by the end of the 80's due to the work run by the biologist Mario Moscatelli. Methodology used in this case was to replant mangrove tree species, followed by landscape design renewal, with the eventual increase of environmental quality.
The recuperation of mangrove species brought birds back to the lagoon's environment. Such species use the surrounding vegetation to stay overnight, as a support for fishing (feeding) and as shelter, as well as a place for nesting.
The most observed species, without a scientific approach, were Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax olivaceus), Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi), Great Egret (Casmerodius albus), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Striated Heron (Butorides striatus), Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), among others.
Navigate the interactive map, find curiosities about Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and see the formation process.
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The EBX Group has created MMX from its own experience in mining accumulated throughout 25 years in activity
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