Abastract: Aim The Billings Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the metropolitan region of São Paulo and has multiple uses, including artisanal fishing. Its surroundings present intense occupation, resulting in various environmental impacts. Although the water is degraded, affecting the composition and quality of the fish, this reservoir supports artisanal fishermen who survive through this activity. This study aimed to analyze the water quality in the main sites of artisanal fishing activity, with an emphasis on the benthic community as a bioindicator. Methods Three sampling sites were selected, in which water and zoobenthos samples were collected monthly from April 2012 to March 2013. Water analyses consisted of the determination of pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and trophic state as well as a principal components analysis. The zoobenthos analysis consisted of determining the relative abundance and total density of taxa, the Shannon-Weaver diversity index, taxa richness, uniformity, Simpson’s dominance index, and the benthic community index and conducting a canonical correspondence analysis. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test were used to investigate the existence of significant differences in the abiotic and biotic variables among the sites. Results The studied sites showed a high degree of eutrophication, with nitrogen and phosphorus totals levels above the limits defined by current Brazilian legislation. Taquacetuba (P1) showed the best environmental conditions for the development of fishing activity, with the presence of sensitive organisms (Polymitarcyidae) and higher levels of dissolved oxygen. Alvarenga (P2) had the worst water quality, with a predominance of tolerant organisms (Oligochaeta) and lower levels of dissolved oxygen. Conclusion In conclusion, the benthic community in association with abiotic metrics proved to be a useful tool as a bioindicator of environmental conditions, indicating that fishing activity at Alvarenga is not recommended due to the degradation of water quality.
This study examined the effects of the damming of the Mogi-Guaçu River (São Paulo State, Brazil) on the surface current velocity, water temperature, Secchi disc transparency, turbidity, colour, conductivity, pH and concentrations of nutrients and pigments. Surface-water samples were taken before, during and after the reservoir was filled. Three sampling sites were established, one in the upper reach of the reservoir, one in the central area of the reservoir and one downstream from the dam. An additional sampling site was established on the Peixe River, the major tributary of the Mogi-Guaçu in the study area. After filling of the reservoir, the surface current velocity tended to decrease, excepting downstream of the dam. The pH, and the Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia and chlorophyll-a concentrations, tended to increase. The nitrite concentrations increased mainly in the upper reach and central area of the reservoir. The Secchi disc transparency and colour tended to decrease. A decreasing trend in dissolved oxygen concentration was observed mainly at the central area of reservoir. The conductivity tended to decrease, later returning to levels observed prior to reservoir filling. The nitrate, total phosphorus and orthophosphate concentrations exhibited an increasing trend after reservoir filling, followed by a decreasing concentration, reaching lower levels than those found prior to reser voir filling. High phaeophytin concentrations were measured for the filling phase. The observed water quality changes for Mogi-Guaçu Reservoir generally were not as extreme as those observed for other tropical reservoirs. This trend was related to the operation of the reservoir. As MogiGuaçu Reservoir is a run-of-the-river reservoir with a short water retention time, the flooded area is not extensive and the retention of material and sedimentation upstream from the dam is not remarkable. These facts explain the small water quality changes observed for most of the variables after reservoir filling. The water quality decreased at the in-lake site in the central part of the reservoir, attaining a hypereutrophic condition. This fact was related to the ageing of the reservoir and to cultural eutrophication.
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