RESPONSE FROM THE PHYTOPLATLANTIC COMMUNITY TO THE WATER QUALITY OF BIRITIBA MIRIM/SP RESERVOIR, ALTO TIETÊ SYSTEM

• Grant number: 17/21641-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Edna Ferreira Rosini
• Grantee: Edna Ferreira Rosini
• Host Institution: Instituto de Botânica. Secretaria de Meio Ambiente, Infraestrutura e Logística (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Paula Garcia Oliveira ; Andrea Tucci ; Antonio Roberto Saad ; Reinaldo Romero Vargas

Abstract

Intensive population growth, high demand and different uses of water resources have put water availability in both quantity and quality at risk, especially in large urban centers, such as the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. This region concentrates almost 20 million inhabitants and to meet the current demand of supply of the population, eight systems are necessary to produce water. Amongst them, the Alto Tietê System, comprised of five reservoirs, with the Biritiba Mirim reservoir presenting changes in the quality of its waters, mainly due to the agricultural activities in its surroundings. Eutrophication is one of the main factors responsible for the deterioration in water quality for human supply, due to the excessive growth of the phytoplankton community. This community is a good bioindicator of water quality, as it functions as an environmental sensor, responding quickly (in days) to environmental changes. The objective of this work is to evaluate the spatial (horizontal) and temporal (bi - monthly) changes in the structure of the phytoplankton community as a function of the water quality of the Biritiba Mirim reservoir and to relate the water quality to the different uses and occupation of the land of the reservoir basin. Six bimonthly collections will be carried out in 5 points distributed spatially in the reservoirs, for a period of one year (March/2018 to January/2019). A contribution to the management of the land use and occupation of the contributing Basin of the Biritiba Mirim reservoiris expected from the obtained results, especially in relation to the agricultural activities developed in the region surrounding the reservoir. (AU)