Probing Production
Diet and Feeding Strategies of Four Freshwater Fish from the Zat Basin (Morocco): Ontogenetic Shift and Seasonal Variation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Abdelilah Ahnich
Conservation and effective management of freshwater ecosystems require detailed insights into species-specific dietary strategies, resource partitioning and ecological interactions, including competition for shared resources. This study investigates seasonal dietary shifts within four barbel species (Atlantor reinii, Luciobarbus magniatlantis, Luciobarbus ksibi and Carasobarbus fritschii) in the Zat Basin (Morocco). The study's objective is to inform conservation and ecosystem management planning that should be considered for threatened species, such as A. reinii and L. magniatlantis. We evaluated feeding strategies and niche partitioning across species and seasons using stomach content analysis and alimentary indices, including Dietary Index (DI) and occurrence (OC). L. ksibi demonstrated the highest insect consumption (OC = 51.11%, DI = 0.84%). L. magniatlantis showed the most diverse animal prey composition, with the highest Mollusca occurrence (OC = 76.67%, DI = 0.59%), substantial insect intake (OC = 54.07%, DI = 1.43%) and significant Arachnida presence (OC = 60%, DI = 0.54%). A. reinii displayed the highest selectivity for insects (DI = 1.14%). C. fritschii exhibited moderate insect consumption (OC = 36.30%, DI = 0.88%) and an equal preference for Mollusca and Tubellaria (both OC = 53.33%, DI = 0.38% and 0.64%, respectively). NMDS analyses revealed partial dietary overlap among species, with A. reinii and C. fritschii exhibiting distinct clustering, while L. ksibi and L. magniatlantis displayed broader nutritional niches. This study highlights species-specific dietary flexibility, emphasising the importance of adaptive foraging strategies in conservation planning and the ecological resilience of freshwater fish in Mediterranean streams.
Indigenous Territorial Struggles, Environmental Defense, and Organic Coffee Production Sustainable Practices
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Consuelo Guayara Sanchez
This paper examines the interconnections between current sustainable environmental and social practices in organic coffee production by Indigenous and small-scale organic coffee producers, members of ASPROCAFE, in Caldas, Colombia, along with their struggles and resistance in defending their territories and the environment. This work draws upon fieldwork conducted during the summers of 2016 to 2019, as well as the summers of 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the winter breaks of 2019 and 2022 in Colombia. I conducted oral histories, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and plot walks. Focusing on the specificities of the indigenous agricultural practices, as well as material and representational practices in Indigenous communities’ struggles and resistance in processes of Land Reclamation, territorial integrity, and environmental care shifts the focus to decolonial conceptualizations and sources of history.
