Influence of land use changes on water chemistry in streams in the State of São Paulo, southeast Brazil

Author(s)

Silva, Daniela M. L. ^[1] ; Camargo, Plinio B. ^[2] ; Mcdowell, William H. ^[3] ; Vieira, Ivan ^[2] ; Salomao, Marcos S. M. B. ^[4] ; Martinelli, Luiz A. ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Santa Cruz, Dept Ciencias Biol, BR-45662900 Ilheus, BA - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Energia Nucl Agr, BR-13416000 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ New Hampshire, Dept Nat Resources, Durham, NH 03824 - USA

^[4] Univ Estadual N Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Ctr Biociencias & Biotecnol, BR-28013600 Campos Dos Goytacazes, RJ - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências; v. 84, n. 4, p. 919-930, DEC 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

Streamwater is affected by several processes in the watershed including anthropogenic activities that result in changes in water quality as well as in the functioning of these stream ecosystems. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the concentration of major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, Cl-, SO4(2-), PO4(3-), HCO3-) in streams in the state of São Paulo (southeast Brazil). The sampling sites are located at undisturbed (ombrophilus dense forest, semideciduous forest and savanna - cerrado) and disturbed areas (pasture, urbanization and sugar cane crops). Streamwater chemistry varied according to land use change and, in general, was higher in disturbed sites. Streams located in undisturbed sites at Ribeira de Iguape/Alto Paranapanema watershed (streams 1, 2 and 3) seem to be regulated by soil characteristics, as the disturbed streams located at the same watershed covered by pasture (stream 7) showed high concentration for the most of the variables. Exception to streams located at Pontal do Paranapanema watershed where both disturbed (stream 8) and undisturbed streams (stream 4 and 5) presented similar patterns for almost all variables measured. (AU)