Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed
Urban activities and related infrastructure alter the natural patterns of stream physical and chemical conditions. According to the Urban Stream Syndrome, streams draining urban landscapes are characterized by high concentrations of nutrients and ions, and might have elevated water temperatures and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2014-06-01
|
| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol19/iss2/art45/ |
| _version_ | 1818825439314968576 |
|---|---|
| author | Alonso Ramírez Keysa G. Rosas Ariel E. Lugo Olga M. Ramos-González |
| author_facet | Alonso Ramírez Keysa G. Rosas Ariel E. Lugo Olga M. Ramos-González |
| author_sort | Alonso Ramírez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban activities and related infrastructure alter the natural patterns of stream physical and chemical conditions. According to the Urban Stream Syndrome, streams draining urban landscapes are characterized by high concentrations of nutrients and ions, and might have elevated water temperatures and variable oxygen concentrations. Here, we report temporal and spatial variability in stream physicochemistry in a highly urbanized watershed in Puerto Rico. The main objective of the study was to describe stream physicochemical characteristics and relate them to urban intensity, e.g., percent impervious surface cover, and watershed infrastructure, e.g., road and pipe densities. The Río Piedras Watershed in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico, is one of the most urbanized regions on the island. The Río Piedras presented high solute concentrations that were related to watershed factors, such as percent impervious cover. Temporal variability in ion concentrations lacked seasonality, as did all other parameters measured except water temperature, which was lower during winter and highest during summer, as expected based on latitude. Spatially, stream physicochemistry was strongly related to watershed percent impervious cover and also to the density of urban infrastructure, e.g., roads, pipe, and building densities. Although the watershed is serviced by a sewage collection system, illegal discharges and leaky infrastructure are probably responsible for the elevated ion concentration found. Overall, the Río Piedras is an example of the response of a tropical urban watershed after major sewage inputs are removed, thus highlighting the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and management of runoff to control ion concentrations in tropical streams. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T00:11:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6d3f194b6864eb3a5291260d651f40e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T00:11:47Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6d3f194b6864eb3a5291260d651f40e2022-12-21T20:46:00ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872014-06-011924510.5751/ES-06481-1902456481Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershedAlonso Ramírez0Keysa G. Rosas1Ariel E. Lugo2Olga M. Ramos-González3University of Puerto Rico, Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of Puerto Rico, Department of Environmental SciencesUSDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical ForestryUSDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical ForestryUrban activities and related infrastructure alter the natural patterns of stream physical and chemical conditions. According to the Urban Stream Syndrome, streams draining urban landscapes are characterized by high concentrations of nutrients and ions, and might have elevated water temperatures and variable oxygen concentrations. Here, we report temporal and spatial variability in stream physicochemistry in a highly urbanized watershed in Puerto Rico. The main objective of the study was to describe stream physicochemical characteristics and relate them to urban intensity, e.g., percent impervious surface cover, and watershed infrastructure, e.g., road and pipe densities. The Río Piedras Watershed in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico, is one of the most urbanized regions on the island. The Río Piedras presented high solute concentrations that were related to watershed factors, such as percent impervious cover. Temporal variability in ion concentrations lacked seasonality, as did all other parameters measured except water temperature, which was lower during winter and highest during summer, as expected based on latitude. Spatially, stream physicochemistry was strongly related to watershed percent impervious cover and also to the density of urban infrastructure, e.g., roads, pipe, and building densities. Although the watershed is serviced by a sewage collection system, illegal discharges and leaky infrastructure are probably responsible for the elevated ion concentration found. Overall, the Río Piedras is an example of the response of a tropical urban watershed after major sewage inputs are removed, thus highlighting the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and management of runoff to control ion concentrations in tropical streams.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol19/iss2/art45/ion concentrationsnutrient concentrationsPuerto Ricotropical streamsurban streamswater physicochemistry |
| spellingShingle | Alonso Ramírez Keysa G. Rosas Ariel E. Lugo Olga M. Ramos-González Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed Ecology and Society ion concentrations nutrient concentrations Puerto Rico tropical streams urban streams water physicochemistry |
| title | Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| title_full | Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| title_fullStr | Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| title_short | Spatio-temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| title_sort | spatio temporal variation in stream water chemistry in a tropical urban watershed |
| topic | ion concentrations nutrient concentrations Puerto Rico tropical streams urban streams water physicochemistry |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol19/iss2/art45/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alonsoramirez spatiotemporalvariationinstreamwaterchemistryinatropicalurbanwatershed AT keysagrosas spatiotemporalvariationinstreamwaterchemistryinatropicalurbanwatershed AT arielelugo spatiotemporalvariationinstreamwaterchemistryinatropicalurbanwatershed AT olgamramosgonzalez spatiotemporalvariationinstreamwaterchemistryinatropicalurbanwatershed |