A new spatial estimation model and source apportionment of aliphatic hydrocarbons in coastal surface sediments of the Nayband Bay, Persian Gulf.

Hydrocarbons, originating from oil and gas industries, are considered a potential risk for Nayband Bay, a natural marine park with extended mangroves, located on the north coastlines of the Persian Gulf, Iran. This paper determines the potential sources and spatial distribution of hydrocarbons, especially aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs), in Nayband Bay through the simultaneous application of three indices in the coastline surface sediments. To this end, a field study was conducted in the inter-tidal coastal zones and wetlands. Sediment samples were taken from surface layers along four transects with four sampling points at different distances from the gulf. The hydrocarbon compounds of the samples including AHCs, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and heavy metals (Ni, V as crude oil indicators) were analyzed and classified to discover the pollution indicators. Pearson pairwise correlation and cluster analyses along with pollution indices were employed to describe the spatial distribution pattern of hydrocarbons, identify hot spots, and determine the potential origin of AHCs. Different interpolation scenarios based on topographic and oceanic features were proposed to detect the spatial dynamics of AHCs. The results revealed that hydrocarbons mainly originated from anthropogenic sources including oil and gas industries located far from the affected area. It was also concluded that the long-distance pollution transfer was based on oceanic currents and wind direction in the bay. The proposed scenarios showed that the mean concentration values of total organic carbon and total organic material vary in the range 0.19 ppm to 0.4 ppm and 2.88 ppm to 3.20 ppm, respectively.

Methane concentrations and fluxes in agricultural and preserved tropical headwater streams.

Tropical streams have been intensively impacted by agricultural activities. Among the most important agricultural activities in Brazil, sugarcane production represents a large impact for economic development and for environmental conditions. Permeating sugarcane fields, several headwater streams can be affected by sugarcane cultivation, in special, aquatic biogeochemical cycles because of the deforestation, fertilization, crop residues and higher temperatures in the tropics. In this study, we analyzed the effects of sugarcane cultivation on methane fluxes and concentrations, assuming that carbon cycles are influenced by agricultural activities in headwater streams. Our study aimed to (1) measure methane fluxes and concentrations in tropical streams located in Southeastern Brazil, (2) Analyze whether seasonal cycles influence methane fluxes and concentrations, (3) Evaluate the influence of sugarcane cultivation on methane fluxes and (4) Analyze the association between water chemistry in the methane concentrations in tropical streams. We found mean fluxes of CH4 of 0.280 mmol m-2 d-1, with higher fluxes during the summer and in streams draining preserved catchments. The average CH4 concentrations were 0.695 µmol L-1, with higher values during the summer and in streams draining preserved catchments. Methane concentrations in the studied streams was influenced by dissolved oxygen (negatively), dissolved organic carbon (negatively), water velocity (positively) and conductivity (negatively). Methane concentrations were significantly higher than concentrations found in Temperate Grasslands, Savannas & Shrublands and similar to concentrations found in other tropical biomes (excluding Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests which receives large amounts of organic inputs). We conclude that sugarcane influence methane concentrations and fluxes in tropical streams by reducing the organic matter availability provided by the native vegetation in soil and water.

Eutrophication effects on CH4 and CO2 fluxes in a highly urbanized tropical reservoir (Southeast, Brazil).

Shallow urban polluted reservoirs at tropical regions can be hotspots for CO2 and CH4 emissions. In this study, we investigated the relationships between eutrophication and GHG emissions in a highly urbanized tropical reservoir in São Paulo Metropolitan Area (Brazil). CO2 and CH4 fluxes and limnological variables (water and sediment) were collected at three sampling stations classified as hypereutrophic and eutrophic. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the principal component analysis (PCA) determined the most significant parameters to CO2 and CH4 fluxes. ANOVA showed significant differences of CO2 and CH4 fluxes between sampling stations with different trophic state. The hypereutrophic station showed higher mean fluxes for both CO2 and CH4 (5.43 ± 1.04 and 0.325 ± 0.167 g m-2 d-1, respectively) than the eutrophic stations (3.36 ± 0.54 and 0.060 ± 0.005 g m-2 d-1). The PCA showed a strong relationship between nutrients in the water column (surface and bottom) and GHG fluxes. We concluded that GHG fluxes were higher whenever the trophic state increases as observed previously in temperate and tropical reservoirs. High concentrations of nutrients in the water column in the studied area support the high production of autotrophic biomass that, when sedimented, ends up serving as organic matter for CH4 producers. These outcomes reinforce the necessity of water quality improvement and eutrophication mitigation in highly urbanized reservoirs in tropical regions.

The riverine bioreactor: An integrative perspective on biological decomposition of organic matter across riverine habitats.

Riverine ecosystems can be conceptualized as 'bioreactors' (the riverine bioreactor) which retain and decompose a wide range of organic substrates. The metabolic performance of the riverine bioreactor is linked to their community structure, the efficiency of energy transfer along food chains, and complex interactions among biotic and abiotic environmental factors. However, our understanding of the mechanistic functioning and capacity of the riverine bioreactor remains limited. We review the state of knowledge and outline major gaps in the understanding of biotic drivers of organic matter decomposition processes that occur in riverine ecosystems, across habitats, temporal dimensions, and latitudes influenced by climate change. We propose a novel, integrative analytical perspective to assess and predict decomposition processes in riverine ecosystems. We then use this model to analyse data to demonstrate that the size-spectra of a community can be used to predict decomposition rates by analysing an illustrative dataset. This modelling methodology allows comparison of the riverine bioreactor's performance across habitats and at a global scale. Our integrative analytical approach can be applied to advance understanding of the functioning and efficiency of the riverine bioreactor as hotspots of metabolic activity. Application of insights gained from such analyses could inform the development of strategies that promote the functioning of the riverine bioreactor across global ecosystems.

Multiscale land use impacts on water quality: Assessment, planning, and future perspectives in Brazil.

Brazil contains the largest volume of freshwater of any nation in the world; however, this essential natural resource is threatened by rapid increases in water consumption and water quality degradation, mainly as a result of anthropogenic pressures. Declining water quality has become an increasingly more significant global concern as economic activities and human populations expand and climate change markedly alters hydrological cycles. Changes in land-use/land-cover (LULC) pattern have been recognized as a major driver of water quality degradation, however different LULC types and intensities affect water quality in different ways. In addition, the relationships between LULC and water quality may differ for different spatial and temporal scales. The increase in deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban sprawl in Brazil highlights the need for water quality protection to ensure immediate human needs and to maintain the quality of water supplies in the long-term. Thus, this manuscript provides an overview of the relationships between LULC and water quality in Brazil, aiming at understanding the effects of different LULC types on water quality, how spatial and temporal scales contribute to these effects, and how such knowledge can improve watershed management and future projections. In general, agriculture and urban areas are the main LULCs responsible for water quality degradation in Brazil. However, although representing a small percentage of the territory, mining has a high impact on water quality. Water quality variables respond differently at different spatial scales, so spatial extent is an important aspect to be considered in studies and management. LULC impacts on water quality also vary seasonally and lag effects mean they take time to occur. Forest restoration can improve water quality and multicriteria evaluation has been applied to identify priority areas for forest restoration and conservation aiming at protecting water quality, but both need further exploration. Watershed modelling has been applied to simulate future impacts of LULC change on water quality, but data availability must be improved to increase the number, locations and duration of studies. Because of the international nature of watersheds and the consistent relationships between land use and water quality in Brazil, we believe our results will also aid water management in other countries.

Impacts of converting low-intensity pastureland to high-intensity bioenergy cropland on the water quality of tropical streams in Brazil.

In Brazil, the cultivation of bioenergy crops is expanding at an accelerated rate. Most of this expansion has occurred over low-intensity pasture and is considered sustainable because it does not involve deforestation of natural vegetation. However, the impacts on the water quality of headwater streams are poorly understood, especially with regard to the influence of land use patterns in the watershed. In this study, we investigated the effects of land-use conversion on the water quality of streams draining sugarcane fields and examined whether the preservation of forested areas at the top of the headwaters would help mitigate the negative impacts of intensive agriculture. Water samples were collected in two paired catchments in southeastern Brazil, which is one of the largest sugarcane production regions in the world. Our results show significant differences in the water quality of streams predominantly draining the pasture or the sugarcane field. Several parameters commonly used to indicate water quality, such as the concentrations of nitrate and suspended solids, were significantly higher in the sugarcane than in the pasture stream. Differences in water quality between the streams draining predominantly pasture or sugarcane fields were accentuated during the wet season. The preservation of forests surrounding the headwater streams was associated with overall better water quality conditions, such as lower nitrate concentrations and temperature of the stream water. We concluded that forest conservation in the headwater agricultural catchments is an important factor preventing water quality degradation in tropical streams. Therefore, we strongly recommend the preservation of robust riparian forests in the headwaters of tropical watersheds with intensive agriculture. More studies on the effects of best agricultural practices in bioenergy crops can greatly improve our capacity to prevent the degradation of water quality in the tropical waterways as intensive agriculture continues to expand in this region of the world.

Utilização de macroinvertebrados bentônicos no biomonitoramento de atividades antrópicas na bacia de drenagem do Reservatório de Itupararanga, Votorantim - SP, Brasil / Using benthic macroinvertebrates for biomonitoring the anthropic activity in the drainage basin of Itupararanga reservoir, Votorantim - SP, Brazil

Objetivo - A Represa de Itupararanga é a principal fonte de abastecimento de água da região de Sorocaba, banhando os municípios de Ibiúna, Piedade, São Roque, Cotia, Vargem Grande Paulista, Mairinque, Alumínio e Votorantim, no Estado de São Paulo. O trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a diversidade de macroinvertebrados bentônicos abordando as relações de parâmetros bióticos e abióticos em diferentes pontos da bacia de drenagem da Represa de Itupararanga. Métodos - Realizou-se quatro coletas no período de setembro de 2008 a abril de 2009, cada uma com 5 pontos amostrais, dos quais dois foram lagoas marginais à represa, um riacho, um ponto na Represa de Itupararanga e um ponto na Cachoeira da Chave. Os macroinvertebrados bentônicos foram coletados com ajuda do aparelho amostral "Surber" sendo triados e identificados no Laboratório de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Paulista, campus Sorocaba. Resultados - No inventárioforam encontradas 22 taxas, sendo 5 famílias de Diptera, 1 família de Megaloptera, 5 famílias de Odonata, 3 famílias de Coleoptera, 5 famílias de Hemiptera e 3 famílias de Ephemeroptera. Houve predominância de Chironomidae (Diptera) com 68,6% dos organismos, seguidos de Pleidae (Hemiptera) com 7,14% dos organismos e Libellulidae (Odonata) com 4,48% dos organismos coletados. Os pontos com valores mais altos no índice de diversidade de Shannon-Wiener foram as lagoas marginais que coincidiram com valores mais baixos de condutividade e sólidos totais dissolvidos. Conclusão - Analisando a bacia através do índice biótico BMWP, concluiu-se que encontra-se em estado aceitável, com algumas evidências de contaminação.

Objective - The Itupararanga reservoir is the main supply source of potable water for the Sorocaba region, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, and it supplies the municipalities of Ibiúna, Piedade, São Roque, Cotia, Vargem Grande Paulista, Mairinque, Alumínio and Votorantim. The purpose of this study was to analyze the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, including the relationships between biotic and abiotic parameters, at different points around the drainage basin of the Itupararanga reservoir. Methods - Four sets of samples were taken over the period between September 2008 and April 2009, with each set consisting of following 5 sampling points: two from the lakes adjacent to the reservoir, one from a nearby stream, one from a point in the Itupararanga reservoir and one from the local Chave Waterfall. The benthic macroinvertebrates were collected with the aid of a "Surber" sampling apparatus, and they were subsequently triaged and identified in the Laboratory of Biological Sciences of Sorocaba, campus of the University Paulista. Results - We found 22 taxa were found in the species inventory present in the samples, including 5 families of Diptera, 1 family of Megaloptera, 5 families of Odonata, 3 families of Coleoptera,5 families of Hemiptera and 3 families of Ephemeroptera. There was a predominance of Chironomidae (Diptera), accounting for 68.6% ofthe organisms, followed by Pleidae (Hemiptera) and Libellulidae (Odonata), which accounted for 7.14% and 4.48% of the organisms collected, respectively. The sampling locations with the highest values in the Shannon-Wiener diversity index were the adjacent lakes, which were also the locations with the lowest values for conductivity and total dissolved solids. Conclusion - Upon analyzing the basin with the BMWP biotic index, we concluded that its overall condition is acceptable, although there is some evidence of contamination.