Manuel A.S. Graça is a full Professor of Ecology at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield, U.K. Since 2003, he is a visiting scientist at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, BH, Brazil. His research interests include leaf litter decomposition, stream ecology, and biomonitoring. Graça is an editor on three journals, has published 134 paper in international journals, authored one book and edited two others. Marcos Callisto is a full Professor of Ecology at the Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. He received hisPh.D, from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Callisto’s research interests include ecology of headwater streams, freshwater biodiversity conservation, leaf litter decomposition, biomonitoring, environmental education, and ecological assessment. Callisto is on an Editorial Board for a renowned journal, has published over 100 papers in international journals, 46 book chapters and has been an editor on five books. Franco Teixeira de Mello is a Professor of Ecology and Environmental Management at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Management, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. He received his Ph.D. fromthe Universidad de la República, Uruguay. His research interests include stream ecology, fresh water fishes, biomonitoring, and leaf litter decomposition. Teixeira de Mello is an editor on three journals, published 54 paper in international journals, authored two books, edited another, and has contributed to 17 book chapters. Douglas Rodríguez Olarte is a full Professor of Ecology at the Department of Biology, Agronomy Faculty, Universidad Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado. He received his Ph.D. from the University Complutense of Madrid, Spain. His research interests include biogeography, integrity, biomonitoring and conservation of freshwater fishes and rivers, and fish and aquatic ecology. Olarte has published 35 paper in international journals and authored one book, edited another, and has contributed to 25 book chapters.

• 1. Introduction to rivers of South AmericaManuel A.S. Grac¸a, Edgardo M. Latrubesse, Marcos Callisto, Franco Teixeira de Mello, and Douglas Rodrı´guez-Olarte2. Rivers of the CaribbeanSamuel E. Segnini-Flores, Douglas Rodrı´guez-Olarte, Jose E. Rinco´ n, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, and Sara R. Lo´ pez-Rodrı´guez3. MagdalenaJose Iva´n Mojica, Edith Gonza´lez-Afanador, Jhon Donato-Rondo´ n, and Gabriel Hernando Guillot-Monroy4. OrinocoDouglas Rodrı´guez-Olarte, Judith Rosales, Jesu´ s Manuel Va´squez-Ramos, Hernando Ramı´rez-Gil, Crı´spulo J. Marrero, and Carlos DoNascimiento5. Rivers of the North AtlanticJan H.A. Mol, Raphael Covain, and Philip W. Willink6. AmazonasNaziano Filizola, Rogerio Marinho, Carlos Freitas, Camila Ribas, Jansen Zuanon, Philip Fearnside, and Patricia Moreira-Turcq7. Amazonian Rivers from the Guiana ShieldMaria Teresa Fernandez Piedade, Pia Parolin, Aline Lopes, Florian Wittmann, Wolfgang J. Junk, Amanda Mortati, Thiago Andre, and Jochen Schongart8. Rivers from the Western AmazonNatalia C. Piland, Claire F. Beveridge, Joa˜o V. Campos-Silva, Carlos Can˜ as, Sandra B. Correa, Thiago B.A. Couto, Andrea C. Encalada, Daniel Escobar-Camacho, Silvia Lo´ pez-Casas, Benjamin Webb, and Elizabeth P. Anderson9. MadeiraCarolina Rodrigues da Costa Do´ ria,Jorge Molina-Carpio, Gislene Torrente-Vilara, Aline Andriolo, Maria Madalena de Aguiar Cavalcante, Carmen Gracı´a-Da´ vila, Herna´n Ortega, and Paul Andre van Damme10. Amazonian Rivers from the Brazilian Shield: Xingu and Tapajo´ sLuciano F.A. Montag, Leandro M. Sousa, Andre L. Netto-Ferreira, Andre O. Sawakuchi, Gustavo Hallwass, Renato A.M. Silvano, Jose Max B. Oliveira-Junior, and Tiago M.S. Freitas11. Tocantins and AraguaiaFernando M. Pelicice, Hasley R. Pereira, Priscilla Carvalho, Davi B. das Chagas, and Dilermando P. Lima-Junior12. Rivers of the North EastJose Etham de Lucena Barbosa, Juliana dos Santos Severiano, Silvia Yasmin Lustosa Costa, Biancade Freitas Terra, Elvio Sergio Figueredo Medeiros, and Rosemberg F. Menezes13. Sa˜o FranciscoPaulo S. Pompeu, Diego R. Macedo, Carlos B.M. Alves, and Lafayette D. da Luz14. Rivers of the Central AtlanticFrancisco A.R. Barbosa, Diego G.F. Pujoni, Carlos E. Rezende, Alisson F. Barbieri, and Francisco Ricardo de Andrade Neto15. UruguayFranco Teixeira de Mello, Christine Lucas, Hugo Inda, Mariana Rı´os, and Iva´n Gonza´ lez-Bergonzoni16. Parana´Pablo A. Scarabotti, Isabel T. Leli, Luis O. Lucifora, Edgardo M. Latrubesse, Cla´udia C. Bonecker, and Mercedes R. Marchese17. ParaguayKarl M. Wantzen, Yzel Rondon Su´ arez, Julio C.J. Solo´ rzano, Fernando R. Carvalho, Lucia A.F. Mateus, Marı´a Fa´tima Mereles Haydar, Pierre Girard, and Jerry Magno F. Penha18. Rivers draining the Southern Gran ChacoHugo R. Ferna´ndez, Luis A. Ferna´ndez, Mario A. Caria, Yzel Rondon Su´ arez, Jerry Magno F. Penha, andEduardo Domı´nguez19. Pampean riversAlberto Rodrigues Capı´tulo, Nestor A. Gabellone, Adonis Giorgi, Leandro Rodrigues Capı´tulo, andNora Go´ mez20. Colorado River systemPablo A. Macchi, Patricia Peralta, Marisa Cogliati, Nerina Canale, Heber Sosa, Ricardo Go´ mez, andYeny Labaut21. Southern Atlantic riversMiguel A. Pascual, Juana Aigo, Natalia L. Pessacg, Boris G. Diaz, Pedro Tiberi, and M. Laura Miserendino22. Rivers flowing to the Southern PacificJorge Nimptsch, Pablo Fierro, Konrad Go´ rski, Nicole Colin, and Jorge Leo´ n Mun˜ oz23. Rivers of the Central PacificIrma Vila, Pablo Rojas, Herna´n Ortega, Marı´a C. Sabando, Rodrigo Pardo, Cristina Dorador, and Francisco Meza24. Rivers of the northern PacificBlanca Rı´os-Touma, Magnolia Longo, Christian Villamarı´n, Yesid Carvajal-Escobar, Jaime Cantera-Kintz, Daniela Rosero-Lo´ pez, Pedro Jimenez-Prado, and Jose Iva´n Mojica25. An agenda for conservation of South American riversManuel A.S. Grac¸a, Karl M. Wantzen, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Marcos Callisto, and Douglas Rodrıguez-Olarte