A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Socioenvironmental impacts of the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant as revealed by Indigenous and ribeirinho monitoring




AuthorsJuruna, Josiel Jacinto Pereira; da Cruz e Silva, Raimundo; dos Reis, Orcylene Barbosa; Moura, Assunção Amildon; Sampaio da Silva, Anderson; Bezerra da Silva, Helio; Pereira, Juruna Jailson Jacinto; Abreu, Nunes Josimary; Souza, Santos, Kleme Micaele; Passos, Ferreira Paulo; Txakui Viana da Silva, Juruna Ronald; Sousa dos Santos, Rosilene; Rodrigues, Lima Sara; Bezerra, Lima Sebastião; Juruna da Cruz, Pereira Tarukawa; Quaresma, Adriano; Cunha de Queiroz, Alexya; Oliveira, Sawakuchi André; Ribas, Camila Cherem; Duarte, Ritter Camila; Costa, Carneiro Cristiane; Mileno, Silva De Paula Eder; Zuquim, Gabriela; Palmquist, Helena; Wahnfried, Ingo; Silva de Jesus, Jandessa; Muriel‐Cunha, Janice; Zuanon, Jansen; Pezzuti, Juarez Carlos Brito; Silva de Medeiros, Marksuel Sandro; Lopes, Priscila F. M.; Mantovanelli, Thais Regina

PublisherWiley

Publishing placeHOBOKEN

Publication year2025

JournalConservation Biology

Journal name in sourceConservation Biology

Journal acronymCONSERV BIOL

Article numbere70043

Volume39

Issue3

Number of pages11

ISSN0888-8892

eISSN1523-1739

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70043

Web address https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70043


Abstract
Hydroelectric dams, once seen as clean and renewable energy sources, have been the subject of extensive research, particularly concerning their socioenvironmental impacts. The Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant (HPP) relies on the operation of 2 dams that divert water from a 130-km stretch of the Xingu River to generate energy. The dam has disrupted the seasonal flooding cycle (flood pulse) along the Volta Grande do Xingu (VGX) and created a reduced discharge condition analogous to a prolonged and extreme dry season in the watershed. Before the Belo Monte HPP, local communities relied on the highly diverse and abundant fish assemblage supported by seasonal flooding of the ecosystem. Local VGX residents sought partnerships and established the Independent Territorial Environmental Monitoring Program (MATI-VGX). Through this program, locals monitored fish spawning sites and fishing dynamics. This monitoring complemented and quantified local communities' perceptions about the environmental impacts caused by the Belo Monte HPP. The HPP was associated with a water discharge shortage that critically undermined the river's capacity to sustain vital ecosystem processes that support local people's lives. Drastic transformations of traditional lifestyles, shifts in fishing practices, and a significant decline in fishing yield occurred that jeopardized food sovereignty and security. The Belo Monte HPP environmental licensing process ignored local ecological knowledge and the vital links among the river's flood pulse, the aquatic and seasonally flooded ecosystems, and the traditional lifestyles of VGX residents. To ensure the ecological sustainability of the VGX, the Belo Monte HPP operation needs to change to support key spawning areas, maintain water discharge, avoid short-term water fluctuations, and emulate natural interannual discharge variability to mitigate flood pulse disruption. Local ecological knowledge should never be ignored in projects where local communities are the most affected. These communities should be central in decision-making regarding socioenvironmental impact assessment, mitigation, and monitoring.Impacto socio-ambiental de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica Belo Monte revelado por el monitoreo ind & iacute;gena y ribeirinho Las presas hidroel & eacute;ctricas, antes consideradas fuentes de energ & iacute;a limpia y renovable, han sido objeto de numerosas investigaciones, sobre todo en lo que respecta a sus repercusiones socioambientales. La central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte se basa en el funcionamiento de dos presas que desv & iacute;an el agua de un tramo de 130 km del r & iacute;o Xingu para generar energ & iacute;a. La presa ha interrumpido el ciclo de inundaci & oacute;n estacional (pulso de inundaci & oacute;n) a lo largo del Volta Grande do Xingu (VGX) y ha creado una condici & oacute;n de descarga reducida an & aacute;loga a una estaci & oacute;n seca prolongada y extrema en la cuenca. Antes de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte, las comunidades locales depend & iacute;an de la gran diversidad y abundancia de peces que proporcionaba la inundaci & oacute;n estacional del bosque. Los residentes locales del VGX buscaron alianzas y establecieron el Programa de Vigilancia Ambiental Territorial Independiente (MATI-VGX). A trav & eacute;s de este programa, la poblaci & oacute;n local vigil & oacute; los lugares de desove de los peces y la din & aacute;mica de la pesca. Este seguimiento complement & oacute; y cuantific & oacute; las percepciones de las comunidades locales sobre los impactos ambientales causados por la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte. La central hidroel & eacute;ctrica se asoci & oacute; a una escasez de descarga de agua que redujo en gran medida la capacidad del r & iacute;o para mantener procesos ambientales vitales que sustentan la vida de la poblaci & oacute;n local. Esto caus & oacute; transformaciones dr & aacute;sticas en los estilos de vida tradicionales, cambios en las pr & aacute;cticas pesqueras y una importante disminuci & oacute;n del rendimiento de la pesca que pusieron en peligro la soberan & iacute;a y la seguridad alimentarias. El proceso de autorizaci & oacute;n ambiental de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte ignor & oacute; los conocimientos ecol & oacute;gicos locales y los v & iacute;nculos vitales entre el pulso de crecida del r & iacute;o, los ecosistemas acu & aacute;ticos y estacionalmente inundados y los estilos de vida tradicionales de los residentes del VGX. Para garantizar la sostenibilidad ecol & oacute;gica del VGX, la operaci & oacute;n de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte debe cambiar para apoyar las zonas clave de desove, mantener la descarga de agua, evitar las fluctuaciones de agua a corto plazo y emular la variabilidad natural de la descarga interanual para mitigar la interrupci & oacute;n del pulso de inundaci & oacute;n. Los conocimientos ecol & oacute;gicos locales nunca deben ignorarse en los proyectos en los que las comunidades locales son las m & aacute;s afectadas. Estas comunidades deben ocupar un lugar central en la toma de decisiones relativas a la evaluaci & oacute;n del impacto socio-ambiental, la mitigaci & oacute;n y el seguimiento. ResumenImpacto socio-ambiental de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica Belo Monte revelado por el monitoreo ind & iacute;gena y ribeirinho Las presas hidroel & eacute;ctricas, antes consideradas fuentes de energ & iacute;a limpia y renovable, han sido objeto de numerosas investigaciones, sobre todo en lo que respecta a sus repercusiones socioambientales. La central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte se basa enLa presa ha interrumpido el ciclo de inundaci & oacute;n estacional (pulso de inundaci & oacute;n) a lo largo del Volta Grande do Xingu (VGX) y ha creado una condici & oacute;n de descarga reducida an & aacute;loga a una estaci & oacute;n seca prolongada y extrema en la cuenca. Antes de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte, las comunidades locales depend & iacute;an de la gran diversidad y abundancia de peces que proporcionaba la inundaci & oacute;n estacional del bosque. Los residentes locales del VGX buscaron alianzas y establecieron el Programa de Vigilancia Ambiental Territorial Independiente (MATI-VGX). A trav & eacute;s de este programa, la poblaci & oacute;n local vigil & oacute; los lugares de desove de los peces y la din & aacute;mica de la pesca. Este seguimiento complement & oacute; y cuantific & oacute; las percepciones de las comunidades locales sobre los impactos ambientales causados por la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte. La central hidroel & eacute;ctrica se asoci & oacute; a una escasez de descarga de agua que redujo en gran medida la capacidad del r & iacute;o para mantener procesos ambientales vitales que sustentan la vida de la poblaci & oacute;n local. Esto caus & oacute; transformaciones dr & aacute;sticas en los estilos de vida tradicionales, cambios en las pr & aacute;cticas pesqueras y una importante disminuci & oacute;n del rendimiento de la pesca que pusieron en peligro la soberan & iacute;a y la seguridad alimentarias. El proceso de autorizaci & oacute;n ambiental de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte ignor & oacute; los conocimientos ecol & oacute;gicos locales y los v & iacute;nculos vitales entre el pulso de crecida del r & iacute;o, los ecosistemas acu & aacute;ticos y estacionalmente inundados y los estilos de vida tradicionales de los residentes del VGX. Para garantizar la sostenibilidad ecol & oacute;gica del VGX, la operaci & oacute;n de la central hidroel & eacute;ctrica de Belo Monte debe cambiar para apoyar las zonas clave de desove, mantener la descarga de agua, evitar las fluctuaciones de agua a corto plazo y emular la variabilidad natural de la descarga interanual para mitigar la interrupci & oacute;n del pulso de inundaci & oacute;n. Los conocimientos ecol & oacute;gicos locales nunca deben ignorarse en los proyectos en los que las comunidades locales son las m & aacute;s afectadas. Estas comunidades deben ocupar un lugar central en la toma de decisiones relativas a la evaluaci & oacute;n del impacto socio-ambiental, la mitigaci & oacute;n y el seguimiento. Resumen[(sic)(sic)] (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)130(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)Volta Grande do Xingu(VGX)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)((sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).VGX(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)"VGX(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)".(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)VGX(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)VGX(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).[(sic)(sic):(sic)(sic)(sic);(sic)(sic):(sic)(sic)(sic)]


Funding information in the publication
Fundo CASA; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico, Grant/Award Numbers: INCT-Peixe, MCTIC/CNPq(grant 405706/2022-7); German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Grant/Award Numbers: BMBF, 16LC2025A; CLAMBIOconsortium/BiodivERsA2019-2020COFUNDCal; Ford Foundation; Fundac & atilde;o de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de S & atilde;o Paulo, Grant/Award Numbers: FAPESP-Iniciativa Amazpnia +10, 2022/10323-0; Research Council of Finland, Grant/Award Number: CLAMBIO consortium/BiodivERsA 2019-2020 COFUND Cal; Instituto Socioambiental; Fundac & atilde;o Amazpnia de Amparo a Estudos e Pesquisas do Estado do Para, Grant/Award Numbers: FAPESPA-IniciativaAmazpnia+10, 103/2023; Fundac & atilde;o de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas, Grant/Award Numbers: FAPEAM-IniciativaAmazpnia+10, 023/2022.; Fundac & atilde;o de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas, Grant/Award Number: FAPEAMEdital007/2021-


Last updated on 2025-18-08 at 13:10