Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Benthic communities of streams related to different land uses in a hydrographic basin in southern Brazil

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Different land uses affect the characteristics of a hydrographic basin, reflected in the river water quality, and consequently affecting the aquatic biota. The benthic community closely reflects the alterations caused by different human activities. In this study, the effects of different land uses were evaluated by analysis of the benthic community structure in streams with urban, agricultural and pasturage influences, as well as areas in better-conserved regions. The abiotic parameters showed distinct seasonal variability, which did not occur with the benthic organisms. A degradation gradient was observed among the study sites, in the headwaters–agriculture–pasture–urban direction. By the CCA its possible to observe that the density of organisms tended to increase along this gradient, whereas richness, diversity, evenness, and EPT families decreased. The most intense effects of land use on the benthic community composition, richness, and diversity were observed in urban areas (F 1,4 = 16.0, p = 0.01; F 1,4 = 8.97, p = 0.04; respectively). In conclusion a trend in the benthic community is observed in to predict alterations caused for the different land uses, mainly, when the source point pollution, as the case of urban area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allan, J. D. (1995). Stream ecology. Boston: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • APHA (American Public Health Association) (1998). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (20th ed.). Washington: APHA (American Public Health Association).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacey, J., & Spurlock, F. (2007). Biological of urban and agricultural streams in the California Central Valley. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 130, 483–493. doi:10.1007/s10661-006-9438-8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bond-Buckup, G., & Buckup, L. (1999). Família Aeglidae. In L. Buckup & G. Buckup-Bond (Eds.), Os crustáceos do Rio Grande do Sul (pp. 362–382). Porto Alegre: EdUFRGS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braccia, A., & Voshell-Jr, J. R. (2006). Environmental factors accounting for benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage structure at the sample scale in streams subjected to a gradient of cattle grazing. Hydrobiologia, 573, 55–73. doi:10.1007/s10750-006-0257-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brigante, J., & Espínola, E. L. G. (2003). Limnologia Fluvial: Um estudo no Rio Mogi-Guaçu. São Carlos: RiMA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckup, L., Bueno, A. A. P., Bond-Buckup, G., Casagrande, M., & Majolo, F. (2007). The benthic macroinvertebrates fauna of highland streams in southern Brazil: Composition, diversity and structure. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia, 24, 294–301. doi:10.1590/S0101-81752007000200005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bueno, A. A. P., Bond-Buckup, G., & Ferreira, B. D. P. (2003). Estrutura da comunidade de invertebrados bentônicos em dois cursos d’água do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia, 20, 115–125. doi:10.1590/S0101-81752003000100014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bunn, S. E., Davies, P. M., & Mosisch, T. D. (1999). Ecosystem measures of river health and their responses to riparian and catchment degradation. Freshwater Biology, 41, 333–345. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2427.1999.00434.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. F., Baptista, D. F., Nessimian, J. L., & Egler, M. (2004). Substrate specificity, environmental degradation and disturbance structuring macroinvertebrates assemblages in neotropical streams. Hydrobiologia, 518, 179–188. doi:10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025067.66126.1c.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. F., Baptista, D. F., Silveira, M. P., Nessimian, J. L., & Dorvillé, L. F. M. (2002). Influence of water chemistry and environmental degradation on macroinvertebrate assemblages in a river basin in south-east Brazil. Hydrobiologia, 481, 125–136. doi:10.1023/A:1021281508709.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Camargo, J. A., & Voelz, N. J. (1998). Biotic and abiotic changes along the recovery gradient of two impounded rivers with different impoundment use. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 50, 143–158. doi:10.1023/A:1005712024049.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corbi, J. J., & Trivinho-Strixino, S. (2006). Influence of taxonomic resolution of stream macroinvertebrate communities on the evaluation of different land uses. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 18, 469–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa, C., Ide, S., & Simonka, C. E. (2006). Insetos Imaturos—Metamorfose e Identificação. Ribeirão Preto: Holos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dauer, D. M., Ranasinghe, J. A., & Weisberg, S. B. (2000). Relationships between benthic community condition, water quality, sediment quality, nutrient loads, and land use patterns in Chesapeake Bay. Estuaries, 23, 80–96. doi:10.2307/1353227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolédec, S., Oliver, J. M., & Statzner, B. (2000). Accurate description of the abundance of taxa and their biological traits in stream invertebrate communities: Effects of taxonomic and spatial resolution. Archiv fuer Hydrobiologie, 142, 415–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, H. R., & Domingues, E. (2001). Guía para la determinación de los artropodos bentónicos Sudamericanos. Tucumán: UNT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gotelli, N. J., & Ellison, A. M. (2004). A primer of ecological statistics. Massachusetts: Sinauer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepp, L. U., & Restello, R. M. (2007). Macroinvertebrados bentônicos como bioindicadores da qualidade das águas do Alto Uruguai Gaúcho. In S. B. Zakrzeviski (Ed.), Conservação e uso sustentável da água: Múltiplos olhares (pp. 75–86). Erechim: Edifapes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karr, L. R., & Chu, E. W. (2000). Sustaining living rivers. Hydrobiologia, 422, 1–14. doi:10.1023/A:1017097611303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleine, P., & Trivinho-Strixino, S. (2005). Chironomidae and other aquatic macroinvertebrate of a first order stream: Community response after habitat fragmentation. Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 17, 81–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovach Computing Services. (2000). Multivariate Statistical Package v 3.11. Retrieved from http://www.kovcomp.com.

  • Lenat, D. R., & Crawford, J. K. (1994). Effects of land use on water quality and aquatic biota of three North Carolina Piedmont streams. Hydrobiologia, 294, 185–199. doi:10.1007/BF00021291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, B. A., Cherry, D. S., Zipper, C. E., & Currie, R. J. (2006). Land use influences and ecotoxicological ratings for upper Clinch River Tributaries in Virginia. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 51, 197–205. doi:10.1007/s00244-005-0027-6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macgregor, C. J., & Warren, C. R. (2006). Adopting sustainable farm management practices within a nitrate vulnerable zone in Scotland: The view from the farm. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 113, 108–119. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2005.09.003.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran, A. E. (2004). Measuring biological diversity. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques, M. M., Barbosa, F. A. R., & Callisto, M. (1999). Distribution and abundance of chironomidae (diptera, insecta) in an impacted watershed in south-east Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 59, 553–561.

    Google Scholar 

  • Megan, M. H., Nash, M. S., Neale, A. C., & Pitchford, A. M. (2007). Biological integrity in Mid-Atlantic Coastal plains headwater streams. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 124, 141–156. doi:10.1007/s10661-006-9214-9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melo, A. S. (2005). Effects of taxonomic and numeric resolution on the ability to detect ecological patterns at local scale using stream macroinvertebrate. Archiv fuer Hydrobiologie, 164, 309–323. doi:10.1127/0003-9136/2005/0164-0309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merritt, R. W., & Cummins, K. W. (1996). An introduction to the aquatic insects of North America. Iowa: Kendall/Hunt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molozzi, J., Hepp, L. U., & Dias, A. S. (2007). Influence of rice crop on the benthic community in Itajaí valley (Santa Catarina, Brazil). Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 19, 383–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, J. L., Navarro, C., & Las Heras, J. D. (2006). Abiotic ecotypes in south-central Spanish rivers: Reference conditions and pollution. Environmental Pollution, 143, 388–396. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.12.012.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nessimian, J. L., Venticinque, E. M., Zuanon, J. Marco-Jr, P., Gordo, M., Fidelis, L., et al. (2008). Land use, habitat integrity, and aquatic insect assembleges, in Central Amazonian streams. Hydrobiologia. doi:10.1007/s10750-008-9441-x.

  • Niyogi, D. K., Koren, M., Arbuckle, C. J., & Townsend, C. R. (2007). Stream communities along a catchment land-use gradient: Subsidy-stress responses to pastoral development. Environmental Management, 39, 213–225. doi:10.1007/s00267-005-0310-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ometto, J. P., Gessner, A., Martinelli, L. A., & Bernardes, M. C. (2004). Macroinvertebrate community as indicator of land-use changes in tropical watersheds, southern Brazil. Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology, 4, 37–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pillar, V. D., & Orlóci, L. (1996). On randomization testing in vegetation science: Multifactor comparisons of releve groups. Journal of Vegetation Science, 7, 585–595. doi:10.2307/3236308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team. (2006). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. ISBN 3-900051-07-0. Retrieved from http://www.R-project.org.

  • Ramirez, A., & Pringle, C. M. (2001). Spatial and temporal patterns of invertebrates drift in streams draining a Neotropical landscape. Freshwater Biology, 46, 47–62. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2427.2001.00636.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhea, D. T., Harper, D. D., Farag, A. M., & Brumbaugh, W. G. (2006). Biomonitoring in the boulder river watershed, Montana, USA: Metal concentrations in biofilm and macroinvertebrates, and relations with macroinvertebrate assemblage. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 115, 381–393. doi:10.1007/s10661-006-7086-7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rios, S. L., & Bailey, R. C. (2006). Relationship between riparian vegetation and stream benthic communities at three special scales. Hydrobiologia, 553, 153–160. doi:10.1007/s10750-005-0868-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roque, F. O., Trivinho-Strixino, S., Strixino, G., Agostinho, R. C., & Fogo, J. C. (2003). Benthic macroinvertebrates in stream of the Jaraguá State Park (Southeast of Brazil) considering multiple spatial scales. Journal of Insect Conservation, 7, 63–72. doi:10.1023/A:1025505323668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosemberg, D. M., & Resh, C. M. (1993). Freshwater biomonitoring and benthic macroinvertebrates. New York: Chapman & Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy, A. H., Rosemond, M. J., Paul, M. J., & Wallace, J. B. (2003). Stream macroinvertebrate response to catchment urbanization (Georgia, USA). Freshwater Biology, 48, 329–346. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2427.2003.00979.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salomoni, S. E., Rocha, O., & Leite, E. H. (2007). Limnological characterization of Gravataí River, Rio Grande do Sul. Acta Limnologica Brasileinsia, 19, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scariot, E. C., & Zanin, E. M. (2005). Diagnóstico Ambiental do município de Jacutinga—RS. Perspectiva, 105, 33–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silveira, M. P., Buss, D. F., Nessimian, J. L., & Baptista, D. F. (2006). Spatial and temporal distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in a southeastern Brazilian river. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 66, 623–632. doi:10.1590/S1519-69842006000400006.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R. F., & Lamp, W. O. (2008). Comparison of insect communities between adjacent headwater and main-stem stream in urban and rural watersheds. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 27, 161–175. doi:10.1899/07-071.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, P. M., Butcher, J. T., & Swinford, T. O. (2000). Land use, habitat and water quality effects on macroinvertebrate communities in three watersheds of a Lake Michigan associated marsh system. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 3, 179–189. doi:10.1016/S1463-4988(99)00058-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomanova, S., Goitia, E., & Helesic, J. (2006). Trophic levels and functional feeding groups of macroinvertebrates in neotropical streams. Hydrobiologia, 556, 251–264. doi:10.1007/s10750-005-1255-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veitenheimer-Mendes, I. L., & Silva, M. C. P. (2004). Moluscos límnicos do Rio Grande do Sul: Reconhecendo gêneros de Bivalvia e Gastropoda. Porto Alegre: UFRGS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vondracek, B., Blann, K. L., Cox, C. B., Nerbonne, J. F., Mumford, K. G., & Nerbonne, B. A. (2005). Land use, spatial scale, and stream systems: Lessons from an agriculture region. Environmental Management, 36, 775–791. doi:10.1007/s00267-005-0039-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zalidis, G., Stamatiadis, S., Takavakoglou, V., Eskridge, K., & Misopolinos, N. (2002). Impacts of agricul tural practices on soil and water quality in the Mediterranean region and proposed assessment methodology. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 88, 137–146. doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(01)00249-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões—Campus de Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS CEP 99700-000, Brazil

    Luiz Ubiratan Hepp

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil

    Sandro Santos

Authors
  1. Luiz Ubiratan Hepp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sandro Santos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luiz Ubiratan Hepp.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hepp, L.U., Santos, S. Benthic communities of streams related to different land uses in a hydrographic basin in southern Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 157, 305–318 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0536-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0536-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation