FAVORABLE IMPACTS OF A FRAGMENT OF ATLANTIC FOREST ON WATER QUALITY IN AN URBAN RIVER IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Abstract

The Jaguaribe river is entirely urban in its extent. It follows a convoluted course through the city of João Pessoa, the capital of the State of Paraíba. As with other urban water bodies in Brazil, the quality of its water is compromised by diffuse contaminations arising from a diverse array of poluting souces originating from diverse localities along its course. On the basis of hydric monitoring, accomplishede by the Superintendência de Administração do Meio Ambiente (SUDEMA), it was possible to infer that water quality is best in the stretch contained within the area of environmental preservation “Mata do Buraquinho”, today named Botanic Garden Benjamin Maranhão. This ecosystem, located in the central region of João Pessoa, provides several environmental services to the population living in this city, such as climatic regulation, genetic resources, biodiversity, recreation, and ecotourism, among others. It also produces positive impacts on the water quality of the river flowing through this preservation area. Data from chemical analyses were listed as temporal series (2006 to 2016), making it possible to compare two water sampling stations (JB01 e JB02). Alterations were recorded for some parameters, such as water color, turbidity, number of heat-toletant coliforms, and increase in dissolved water oxigen.