Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar parâmetros físicos e químicos de amostras de água coletadas em um lago marginal (Baía do Castelo) na Bacia do Rio Paraguai no Pantanal Sul, durante um fenômeno natural significativo de hipóxia, localmente denominado decoada, e logo após. Parâmetros limnológicos foram analisados em quatro pontos de amostragem ao longo da baía. As comparações dos parâmetros físicos e químicos entre os períodos decoada e pós-decoada foram realizadas pelo teste t de Student, análise de componentes principais e análise de variância permutacional multivariada (permanova). Durante o período da decoada, houve redução significativa nos valores médios de transparência da água e concentrações de oxigênio dissolvido, sódio e nitrito em relação ao período pós-decoada. Por outro lado, a temperatura e condutividade da água, e as concentrações de ortofosfato, nitrogênio total e ferro total apresentaram valores mais elevados durante o período de decoada. Um efeito de conectividade entre lago e rio foi encontrado para gerar um gradiente de características da água na Baía de Castelo. As características limnológicas que mais diferiram entre os períodos decoada e pós-decoada são aquelas associadas à redução do oxigênio dissolvido que pode causar a morte natural dos peixes e o aumento de nutrientes durante a decoada, porém variam em escalas temporais e espaciais.
Palavras-chave: anóxia; lagos de planícies alagadas; oxigênio dissolvido
This study compares physical and chemical parameters of water samples collected in a marginal lake (Castelo Bay) in the Paraguay River Basin in southern Pantanal during a significant natural phenomenon of hypoxia, locally called decoada, and shortly after it. Limnological parameters were analyzed from four sampling sites along the bay. Comparisons of the physical and chemical parameters between decoada and post-decoada periods were performed by Student’s t-test, principal component analysis and multivariate permutational analysis of variance (permanova). During the period of the decoada, there was a significant reduction in mean values of water transparency and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, sodium and nitrite compared to the post-decoada period. On the other hand, water temperature and conductivity, and concentrations of orthophosphate, total nitrogen and total iron have all had higher values during the decoada period. An effect of connectivity between lake and river was found to generate a gradient of water characteristics at Castelo Bay. The limnological characteristics that differed the most between decoada and post-decoada periods are those associated with the reduction of dissolved oxygen that could cause natural death of fish and the increase in nutrients during the decoada, yet they vary on temporal and spatial scales.
Keywords: anoxia, dissolved oxygen, floodplain lakes
This study compares physical and chemical parameters of water samples collected in a marginal lake (Castelo Bay) in the Paraguay River Basin in southern Pantanal during a significant natural phenomenon of hypoxia, locally called decoada, and shortly after it. Limnological parameters were analyzed from four sampling sites along the bay. Comparisons of the physical and chemical parameters between decoada and post-decoada periods were performed by Student’s t-test, principal component analysis and multivariate permutational analysis of variance (permanova). During the period of the decoada, there was a significant reduction in mean values of water transparency and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, sodium and nitrite compared to the post-decoada period. On the other hand, water temperature and conductivity, and concentrations of orthophosphate, total nitrogen and total iron have all had higher values during the decoada period. An effect of connectivity between lake and river was found to generate a gradient of water characteristics at Castelo Bay. The limnological characteristics that differed the most between decoada and post-decoada periods are those associated with the reduction of dissolved oxygen that could cause natural death of fish and the increase in nutrients during the decoada, yet they vary on temporal and spatial scales.
Keywords: anoxia, dissolved oxygen, floodplain lakes
