Assessment of the impact of a large-scale fire on a tropical freshwater reservoir (Lobo Dam, Itirapina).

• Grant number: 23/13395-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Hugo Miguel Preto de Morais Sarmento
• Grantee: Daniel Guido Giongo
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fires are becoming increasingly frequent and intense due to climate change. The effects of fires on terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere are quite evident, with the emission of gases and ashes and increased exposure of the soil to weathering. However, the effects on aquatic environments are still poorly understood. The objective of this research is to assess changes in limnological parameters and the dynamics of planktonic communities in a tropical freshwater reservoir (Lobo Reservoir, Itirapina) after a large-scale fire that occurred in September 2021. Data collected the day after the fire and over the subsequent four weeks will be compared to a time series of 42 monthly samples before the fire and 22 monthly samples after the fire. The hypothesis is that ashes and residues from the fire have caused alterations in the aquatic environment, modifying limnological parameters, increasing nutrient availability, and altering the structure and functioning of planktonic communities. It is expected that the results of this investigation can contribute to expanding our knowledge of the effects of fires on areas surrounding aquatic environments, a growing phenomenon in the context of future climate change.