Association of Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei) Occurrence with the Doce River Plume

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Abstract

_Pontoporia blainvillei_, known as the franciscana, is a small dolphin endemic to the Southwestern Atlantic. The collapse of the mining tailings dam in Mariana in 2015 altered the ecosystem dynamics near the mouth of the Doce River, an ecologically crucial area for the species that is both genetically and geographically isolated. Using drone monitoring of an isolated and threatened population of franciscan dolphins, we analyzed the relationship between the Rio Doce sediment plume and the occurrence of this species in the region. Franciscana sightings outside the plume were significantly higher compared to those inside the plume. With the arrival of the tailings plume, there was a considerable increase in sediment load, potentially causing acoustic attenuation.

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