Limnological studies of large reservoirs of the River de la Plata Basin (Brazil, Argentine, Paraguay and Uruguay): a spatial geographical approach and the influence of present and historical processes

• Grant number: 09/00014-6
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: June 01, 2009 - August 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal researcher: Marcos Gomes Nogueira
• Grantee: Marcos Gomes Nogueira
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The River the La Plata Basin (3.17 x 106 km2; 22,000 m3 s-1) is the second largest one in South America, after the Amazonian, and drains part of the Brazilian, Bolivian, Argentinean, Paraguayan and Uruguayan territories. A major human impact in this basin is the construction of large dams for electric production. In case of Brazil, with one of the largest hydraulic potential in the world, more than 90% of the electricity consumed in the last years (ca. 70.000MW) has been produced by hydroelectric plants.This research proposal intends to carry out a comparative limnological study - water and sediment variables, among the main rivers of the La Plata Basin, with emphasis on the larger reservoirs.In order to evaluate the longitudinal gradients of the main tributary rivers (upstream downstream), as well as the sub-basin latitudinal patterns, it were selected for sampling 15 reservoirs and 8 lotic stretches. The samples will be taken in the reservoirs central zones, near to the dam, and in the deepest zones of the rivers stretches. Field work expeditions (4 researchers; 25 to 30 days) will be performed in winter (July 2009) and summer (January 2010). The sampling sites will be assessed by roads.Water variables will be measured with a Eureka probe in detailed vertical profiles of temperature, turbidity, suspended solids, dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, pH, electric conductivity and redox potential. It will be also determined the Secchi disc transparency and air temperature (calibrated Hg thermometer). In each point it will be collected water samples from surface, middle of the euphotic zone, end of the euphotic zone and near-bottom, as well as 3 sediment samples (Van Veen dredge). The initial procedures, such as filtrations (chlorophyll and suspended solids), titrimetry for total alkalinity (metil orange) determination and samples separation and freezing will be carried out immediately after each sampling.In the water it will be analyzed by spectrofotometry the total nitrogen concentration, total phosphorus concentration, chlorophyll-a from phytoplankton (90% cold acetone) and the electromagnetic spectrum (serial readings after centrifugation). The total, organic and inorganic solids will be measured by gravimetry.In the sediment samples it will be analyzed the concentrations of total phosphorus (spectrofotometry), total organic nitrogen (N-Kjeldhal), synthetic pesticides (organic chlorinated, organic phosphorated and pyretroids) (gas chromatography) and metals (Hg, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb, Cr, Ni, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn e Mg) (atomic absorption/flame methodology), besides the organic matter percentage (weight ignition losses) and physical texture (dried sieved).Complementary data related to the reservoirs morphometry and hydrodynamics and meteorological series will be obtained too.For data analyses it will be used appropriated uni and multivariated statistical tests.The initial hypothesis of the study is that the main forces acting on the structure and functioning of the analyzed systems are:üthe hydrodynamics (e.g. water retention time, currents velocity, superficial area exposed to the wind);üthe interaction wind wetland areas - floodplain stretches;üthe trophic conditions (essential nutrient availability and primary production rates).Other factors, such as dam operations and reservoir age, could also be relevant for the limnological patterns in the La Plata Basin.East-West North-South geographical gradients may be verified, due to differences historical (geologic and geomorphologic nature) differences among sub-basins, and also due to the heterogeneous distribution of urban, industrial and intensive agricultural activities.In addition to this project, there will be 5 associated sub-projects related to taxonomy, biogeography and ecology of plankton organisms (supervision academic works).Contacts with researchers from strategic positions in the basin (Argentine and Uruguay) have been started. (AU)

Scientific publications

(13)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BÁRBARA A. MARTINS; PAULA N. COELHO; MARCOS G. NOGUEIRA; GILMAR PERBICHE-NEVES. Composição e riqueza de rotíferos Monogononta da Bacia do Rio da Prata, América do Sul. Biota Neotropica, v. 20, n. 4, 2020-09-18. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6)

PESSOTTO, M. A.; NOGUEIRA, M. G.. More than two decades after the introduction of Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857) in La Plata Basin. Brazilian Journal of Biology, v. 78, n. 4, p. 773-784, NOV 2018. (09/00014-6)

PORTINHO, JORGE L.; PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.. Zooplankton community and tributary effects in free-flowing section downstream a large tropical reservoir. International Review of Hydrobiology, v. 101, n. 1-2, p. 48-56, APR 2016. (09/00014-6)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; BOXSHALL, GEOFFREY A.; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.; DA ROCHA, CARLOS E. F.. Trends in planktonic copepod diversity in reservoirs and lotic stretches in a large river basin in South America. MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH, v. 65, n. 8, p. 727-737, 2014. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; PREVIATTELLI, DANIEL; PIE, MARCIO R.; DURAN, ANDRESSA; SUAREZ-MORALES, EDUARDO; BOXSHALL, GEOFFREY A.; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.; DA ROCHA, CARLOS E. F.. Historical biogeography of the neotropical Diaptomidae (Crustacea: Copepoda). Frontiers in Zoology, v. 11, MAY 1 2014. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; BOXSHALL, GEOFF A.; PAGGI, JUAN C.; DA ROCHA, CARLOS E. F.; PREVIATTELLI, DANIEL; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.. Two new species of Diaptomidae (Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida) from the Neotropical Region (Parana River). Journal of Natural History, v. 47, n. 5-12, p. 449-477, MAR 1 2013. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6)

MATSUURA, PATRICIA; PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; FERREIRA, ROSA A. R.; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.. Changes in the phytoplankton structure downstream a large reservoir: effects of tributaries on the assemblages attributes. BIOLOGIA, v. 70, n. 3, p. 320-327, MAR 2015. (09/14687-2, 09/00014-6)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; BOXSHALL, GEOFFREY ALLAN; PREVIATTELLI, DANIEL; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS GOMES; FALAVIGNA DA ROCHA, CARLOS EDUARDO. Identification guide to some Diaptomid species (Crustacea, Copepoda, Calanoida, Diaptomidae) of ``de la Plata{''} River Basin (South America). ZOOKEYS, n. 497, SI, p. 1-111, 2015. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; SAITO, VICTOR SATORU; SIMOES, NADSON RESSYE; DEBASTIANI-JUNIOR, JOSE ROBERTO; DE OLIVEIRA NALIATO, DANILO AUGUSTO; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS GOMES. Distinct responses of Copepoda and Cladocera diversity to climatic, environmental, and geographic filters in the La Plata River basin. Hydrobiologia, v. 826, n. 1, p. 113-127, JAN 2019. (08/02015-7, 09/06149-0, 11/23444-6, 11/18358-3, 09/00014-6)

JOSÉ ROBERTO DEBASTIANI JÚNIOR; DANILO AUGUSTO DE OLIVEIRA NALIATO; GILMAR PERBICHE-NEVES; MARCOS GOMES NOGUEIRA. Ambientes fluviais laterais na bacia do Rio da Prata: efeitos dos barramentos de hidrelétricas e da eutrofização. Acta Limnol. Bras., v. 28, 2016-12-19. (09/11781-8, 08/02015-7, 11/23444-6, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; BOXSHALL, GEOFFREY ALLAN; PREVIATTELLI, DANIEL; OLIVEIRA NALIATO, DANILO AUGUSTO; PIE, MARCIO ROBERTO; FALAVIGNA DA ROCHA, CARLOS EDUARDO; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS GOMES. Regulation of the abundance and turnover of copepod species by temperature, turbidity and habitat type in a large river basin. AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, v. 40, n. 6, p. 718-725, SEP 2015. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

PERBICHE-NEVES, GILMAR; SAITO, VICTOR S.; PREVIATTELLI, DANIEL; DA ROCHA, CARLOS E. F.; NOGUEIRA, MARCOS G.. Cyclopoid copepods as bioindicators of eutrophication in reservoirs: Do patterns hold for large spatial extents?. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS, v. 70, n. SI, p. 340-347, NOV 2016. (08/02015-7, 09/00014-6, 11/18358-3)

JOSÉ ROBERTO DEBASTIANI-JÚNIOR; LOURDES MARIA ABDU ELMOOR-LOUREIRO; MARCOS GOMES NOGUEIRA. High taxonomic resolution as a determinant on finding new species and new records in the Río de La Plata basin: a case on Chydoridae (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Cladocera). Nauplius, v. 23, n. 1, p. 21-30, 2015-06-00. (09/11781-8, 11/23444-6, 09/00014-6)