Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs

Knowledge of abiotic limnological factors is important to monitor changes caused by humans, and to explain the structure and dynamics of populations and communities in a variety of inland water ecosystems. In this study, we used a long term data-set (eight years) collected in 10 habitats with differ...

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Main Authors: MC. Roberto, NF. Santana, SM. Thomaz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
Series:Brazilian Journal of Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842009000300025&lng=en&tlng=en
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author MC. Roberto
NF. Santana
SM. Thomaz
author_facet MC. Roberto
NF. Santana
SM. Thomaz
author_sort MC. Roberto
collection DOAJ
description Knowledge of abiotic limnological factors is important to monitor changes caused by humans, and to explain the structure and dynamics of populations and communities in a variety of inland water ecosystems. In this study, we used a long term data-set (eight years) collected in 10 habitats with different features (river channels, and connected and isolated lakes) to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of some of the principal limnological factors. In general, the degree of connectivity of the lakes, together with the rivers to which the lakes are connected, were important determinants of their limnological characteristics. These differences are expected, because rivers entering the floodplain come from different geological regions and are subject to different human impacts. At large spatial scales, these differences contribute to the increased habitat diversity of the floodplain and thus to its high biodiversity. With regard to temporal variation, Secchi-disk transparency increased, and total phosphorus decreased in the Paraná River main channel during the last 20 years. Although these changes are directly attributed to the several reservoir cascades located upstream, the closing of the Porto Primavera dam in 1998 enhanced this effect. The increase in water transparency explains biotic changes within the floodplain. The lower-phosphorus Paraná River water probably dilutes concentrations of this element in the floodplain waterbodies during major floods, with future consequences for their productivity.
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spelling doaj.art-5153c3d153ff4e22927cee85c23acecb2022-12-22T00:51:45ZengInstituto Internacional de EcologiaBrazilian Journal of Biology1678-4375692 suppl71772510.1590/S1519-69842009000300025S1519-69842009000300025Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirsMC. Roberto0NF. Santana1SM. Thomaz2Universidade Estadual de MaringáUniversidade Estadual de MaringáUniversidade Estadual de MaringáKnowledge of abiotic limnological factors is important to monitor changes caused by humans, and to explain the structure and dynamics of populations and communities in a variety of inland water ecosystems. In this study, we used a long term data-set (eight years) collected in 10 habitats with different features (river channels, and connected and isolated lakes) to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of some of the principal limnological factors. In general, the degree of connectivity of the lakes, together with the rivers to which the lakes are connected, were important determinants of their limnological characteristics. These differences are expected, because rivers entering the floodplain come from different geological regions and are subject to different human impacts. At large spatial scales, these differences contribute to the increased habitat diversity of the floodplain and thus to its high biodiversity. With regard to temporal variation, Secchi-disk transparency increased, and total phosphorus decreased in the Paraná River main channel during the last 20 years. Although these changes are directly attributed to the several reservoir cascades located upstream, the closing of the Porto Primavera dam in 1998 enhanced this effect. The increase in water transparency explains biotic changes within the floodplain. The lower-phosphorus Paraná River water probably dilutes concentrations of this element in the floodplain waterbodies during major floods, with future consequences for their productivity.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842009000300025&lng=en&tlng=enfloodplainabiotic factorstemporal and spatial variationproductivity
spellingShingle MC. Roberto
NF. Santana
SM. Thomaz
Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
Brazilian Journal of Biology
floodplain
abiotic factors
temporal and spatial variation
productivity
title Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
title_full Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
title_fullStr Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
title_full_unstemmed Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
title_short Limnology in the Upper Paraná River floodplain: large-scale spatial and temporal patterns, and the influence of reservoirs
title_sort limnology in the upper parana river floodplain large scale spatial and temporal patterns and the influence of reservoirs
topic floodplain
abiotic factors
temporal and spatial variation
productivity
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842009000300025&lng=en&tlng=en
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