Abstract
AIM: This study evaluated the impacts of anthropogenic activities upstream of conservation areas on the Paraibuna river and its implications for freshwater biodiversity. METHODS: The study was carried out in two units, Cunha and Santa Virginia, of the Serra do Mar State Park (SP), located in the Atlantic Rain Forest. Five sampling sites were defined, four along the Paraibuna river and one in the Ipiranga river, the latter fully inserted into the protected area. Physical, chemical, microbiological and ecotoxicological data were obtained from surface water as well as aquatic macroinvertebrates. RESULTS: The results showed that the waters of the Paraibuna river have low anthropogenic interference. However, conductivity, turbidity, coliforms, iron, total phosphorus and nitrate showed a gradient improving its water quality from upstream to downstream, indicating the existence of erosion and introduction of organic debris in the basin. The BMWP index, varying from 58 to 190, also showed the good condition of the river to aquatic biota, with predominant Excellent quality diagnosis. The values of this index and the richness index (S) outlined a similar gradient but with the lowest values recorded in P3. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the upstream activities alter the natural condition of the Paraibuna river and its biota and that the protected areas provides environmental services reducing these impacts. The ideal situation in order to ensure the conservation of the freshwater biota of the Paraibuna river would be the incorporation of parts of the upstream area into the protected area and convert occupied areas into Sustainable Use Area, that guarantee the adoption of sustainable techniques to the existing land uses and the application of aquatic life protection indicators for monitoring the water quality of the river.
Highlights
The biodiversity in ecosystems provides resistance and resilience to disturbance (Vinson and Hawkins, 1998)
This study aimed to evaluate possible impacts caused by human activities in the headwaters of the Paraibuna river, which flows through the Serra do Mar State Park, and to discuss adequate actions for biomonitoring and conservation of aquatic biota of inland waters in similar situations
Some events of chronic toxicity were observed, including at the reference site (Ipiranga river - P5), and peaks of coliforms concentrations at the sampling site located in the Cunha unit (P4) (Table 1)
Summary
The biodiversity in ecosystems provides resistance and resilience to disturbance (Vinson and Hawkins, 1998). Riparian environments have high species diversity, which have a strong tendency to endemism since they are naturally isolated within a basin or even in smaller areas (Allan and Flecker, 1993). These ecosystems are probably the most threatened by anthropic activities and the conservation of their species has rarely been the subject of the creation of protected areas, especially those intended for strict protection. Official lists of endangered species already include elements of aquatic ecosystems fauna and flora (Brasil, 2003, 2004; São Paulo, 2004, 2010) and as the anthropogenic pressures on these ecosystems get more intense, the risk of extinction increases (Strayer, 2006). Rivers and streams are strongly influenced by the landscape in which they are inserted (Allan, 2004), so in the conservation of freshwater species it is necessary to consider the whole drainage basin, and in some cases, a larger area might be required (Strayer, 2006)
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