Environmental study in the estuary of the River Itanhaém, Southern coast of the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 01/09881-2
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2003
• End date: October 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Sueli Yoshinaga Pereira
• Grantee: Sueli Yoshinaga Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present research proposal has as its general objectives: 1) analysis of the environment of deposition and taphonomy of macroremains and pollens from the subaquatic environment and of the anthropic modifications in the river estuary, with application of actuopaleontology, hydrogeology and current sedimentology (depositional geomorphology); 2) elaboration of integrated models which provide information for studies of environmental impact which the above-mentioned anthropic activities produce; 3) definition of environmental indicators for estuary environments. The river Itanhaém estuary is located on the southern coast of the State of São Paulo, in the municipality of Itanhaém, and is part of the Baixada Santista. It presents characteristics belonging to tropical regions, both in environmental aspects (for example, mangrove and sandbank vegetation) and in socioeconomic aspects, being the second largest estuary in the state (surpassed only by the Ribeira, further to the South, close to the border with Paraná) (Lamparelli, 1999). It has a mangrove swamp area of 3,75 km2 (Lamparelli, 1999), considered to be one of the best protected in the state, where it is possible to study its evolution since the Holocene. Along the river – upstream from the mangroves – there are innumerable points of sand exploitation, many already abandoned, which significantly altered the hydrological profile, forming huge lakes. The river course was modified more than 50 years ago due to the opening of a canal joining the rivers Branco and Preto. The entire margins of the Itanhaém river as well as its tributaries are occupied by dense sandbank vegetation, for the most part in primary conditions of conservation, which contributes plant material (leaves, seeds, pollens, etc.) to the sediments of the river. In localized areas there exists more recent vegetation – secondary woodlands and plantations, in addition to the mangrove vegetation itself. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

RICARDI-BRANCO, FRESIA; BRANCO, FABIO C.; GARCIA, RICARDO J. F.; FARIA, RAFAEL S.; PEREIRA, SUELI Y.; PORTUGAL, RODRIGO; PESSENDA, LUIZ C.; PEREIRA, PAULO R. B.. PLANT ACCUMULATIONS ALONG THE ITANHAEM RIVER BASIN, SOUTHERN COAST OF SAO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL. PALAIOS, v. 24, n. 7-8, p. 416-424, JUL-AUG 2009. (01/09881-2)