{"title":"Planktonic communities as indicators of water quality in a tropical reservoir","authors":"Gabriela Rodrigues Barroso, Lenora Nunes Ludolf Gomes, Sílvia Corrêa Oliveira","doi":"10.1007/s00267-025-02157-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Surface water bodies have been significantly altered by various human activities in the watersheds. Assessing these ecosystems is crucial for maintaining an ecological balance and protecting public health. This study aimed to analyse the water quality of a tropical public supply reservoir by evaluating the dynamics of planktonic communities. A total of 69 water quality parameters, in addition to phytoplankton and zooplankton biomonitoring data, were analyzed between 1989 and 2020. Preliminary and descriptive statistical analysis, trophic state index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, statistical tests, and multivariate statistics analysis were applied. The results showed a change in the composition of the planktonic communities over time, with a greater abundance of cyanobacteria and an increase in the density of the Crustacea class in the final years of monitoring, indicating a more degraded environment. There was a reduction in the diversity of phytoplankton species. However, the concentrations of physical and chemical parameters remained low over the years, and oligotrophic conditions were prevalent in the reservoir. Therefore, the analysis of bioindicators provided information that was not observed when the physical and chemical parameters of water quality were analyzed. Possibly due to environmental variables not considered in this study, or due to the cumulative or synergistic effects caused by changes in the environment. It is evident that integrating bioassessment into the monitoring of water bodies is essential for a comprehensive ecological classification and for maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"75 6","pages":"1571 - 1588"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Management","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00267-025-02157-7","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Surface water bodies have been significantly altered by various human activities in the watersheds. Assessing these ecosystems is crucial for maintaining an ecological balance and protecting public health. This study aimed to analyse the water quality of a tropical public supply reservoir by evaluating the dynamics of planktonic communities. A total of 69 water quality parameters, in addition to phytoplankton and zooplankton biomonitoring data, were analyzed between 1989 and 2020. Preliminary and descriptive statistical analysis, trophic state index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, statistical tests, and multivariate statistics analysis were applied. The results showed a change in the composition of the planktonic communities over time, with a greater abundance of cyanobacteria and an increase in the density of the Crustacea class in the final years of monitoring, indicating a more degraded environment. There was a reduction in the diversity of phytoplankton species. However, the concentrations of physical and chemical parameters remained low over the years, and oligotrophic conditions were prevalent in the reservoir. Therefore, the analysis of bioindicators provided information that was not observed when the physical and chemical parameters of water quality were analyzed. Possibly due to environmental variables not considered in this study, or due to the cumulative or synergistic effects caused by changes in the environment. It is evident that integrating bioassessment into the monitoring of water bodies is essential for a comprehensive ecological classification and for maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
期刊介绍:
Environmental Management offers research and opinions on use and conservation of natural resources, protection of habitats and control of hazards, spanning the field of environmental management without regard to traditional disciplinary boundaries. The journal aims to improve communication, making ideas and results from any field available to practitioners from other backgrounds. Contributions are drawn from biology, botany, chemistry, climatology, ecology, ecological economics, environmental engineering, fisheries, environmental law, forest sciences, geosciences, information science, public affairs, public health, toxicology, zoology and more.
As the principal user of nature, humanity is responsible for ensuring that its environmental impacts are benign rather than catastrophic. Environmental Management presents the work of academic researchers and professionals outside universities, including those in business, government, research establishments, and public interest groups, presenting a wide spectrum of viewpoints and approaches.