Spatial patterns of water quality in Xingu River Basin (Amazonia) prior to the Belo Monte dam impoundment

Autor(es):Mostrar menos -

Rodrigues-Filho, J. L. ^{[1, 2]} ; Abe, D. S. ^[1] ; Gatti-Junior, P. ^[1] ; Medeiros, G. R. ^[1] ; Degani, R. M. ^[1] ; Blanco, F. P. ^[1] ; Faria, C. R. L. ^[1] ; Campanelli, L. ^[1] ; Soares, F. S. ^[1] ; Sidagis-Galli, V, C. ; Teixeira-Silva, V ^[3] ; Tundisi, J. E. M. ^[3] ; Matsmura-Tundisi, T. ^[3] ; Tundisi, J. G. ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] IIEGA, BR-13560660 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estado Estadual Santa Catarina UDESC, Ctr Educ Super Regiao Sul CERES, Lab Ecol, Dept Engn Pesca, BR-88790000 Laguna, SC - Brazil

^[3] Sidagis-Galli, C., V, IIEGA, BR-13560660 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Brazilian Journal of Biology; v. 75, n. 3, S, p. S34-S46, AUG 2015.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

The Xingu River, one of the most important of the Amazon Basin, is characterized by clear and transparent waters that drain a 509.685 km(2) watershed with distinct hydrological and ecological conditions and anthropogenic pressures along its course. As in other basins of the Amazon system, studies in the Xingu are scarce. Furthermore, the eminent construction of the Belo Monte for hydropower production, which will alter the environmental conditions in the basin in its lower middle portion, denotes high importance of studies that generate relevant information that may subsidize a more balanced and equitable development in the Amazon region. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the water quality in the Xingu River and its tributaries focusing on spatial patterns by the use of multivariate statistical techniques, identifying which water quality parameters were more important for the environmental changes in the watershed. Data sampling were carried out during two complete hydrological cycles in twenty-five sampling stations. The data of twenty seven variables were analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficients, cluster analysis (CA), and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed a high auto-correlation between variables (> 0.7). These variables were removed from multivariate analyzes because they provided redundant information about the environment. The CA resulted in the formation of six clusters, which were clearly observed in the PCA and were characterized by different water quality. The statistical results allowed to identify a high spatial variation in the water quality, which were related to specific features of the environment, different uses, influences of anthropogenic activities and geochemical characteristics of the drained basins. It was also demonstrated that most of the sampling stations in the Xingu River basin showed good water quality, due to the absence of local impacts and high power of depuration of the river itself. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/19602-0 - Influência do pulso de inundação e de fatores antropogênicos sobre a qualidade de água e a biodiversidade da comunidade zooplanctônica em corpos hídricos da bacia Rio Xingu inseridos na área de influência direta da futura Usina Hidrelétrica de Belo Monte
• Beneficiário: Jorge Luiz Rodrigues Filho
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado