Periphytic algal community in lentic environments of the Upper Paraná River floodplain: seasonal and spatial variation

Kisay Lorena Adame,Liliana Rodrigues,Barbara Dunck

doi:10.1590/s2179-975x5017

Kisay Lorena Adame, Liliana Rodrigues + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/s2179-975x5017

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Abstract

Abstract Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of seasonal variation in the hydrological regime and of limnological variables on species richness of periphytic algae in lakes of the Upper Paraná River floodplain. Methods The study area is located in the last undammed stretch of the Paraná River in this floodplain, in which three lakes were sampled quarterly (May, August and November 2014, and February and May 2015) for one year. The periphytic material was obtained from petioles of the aquatic macrophyte Eichhornia azurea (Sw.) Kunth. Results We registered 149 taxa of periphytic algae, distributed in 9 classes. Algal richness changed as a function of the seasonal dynamics of the Paraná River’s hydrological regime. Water level fluctuations directly influenced periphytic algae species. During periods of high water level, species richness increased. Limnological variables showed a close relationship with the hydrological regime, and the dissolved nutrients and turbidity were the abiotic factors that most influenced the algal community. The following species were present in all lakes: Fragilaria capucina Desmazières, Gomphonema gracile Ehrenberg and Navicula cryptotenella Lange-Bertalot (Bacillariophyceae) and two species of the genus Oedogonium (Oedogoniophyceae). Conclusions The hydrological regime of the Paraná River played an important role in structuring communities of periphytic algae. Seasonal variation in hydrological regime and in limnological variables together influenced the species richness of these organisms in these floodplain lakes.

Highlights

Floodplains are fluvial systems with high structural and functional complexity and elevated biological diversity; they are considered highly productive (Neiff, 1990; Ward et al, 2002; Agostinho et al, 2008)
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of seasonal variation in the hydrological regime and of limnological variables on species richness of periphytic algae in lakes of the Upper Paraná River floodplain
Only the first axis was significant (F = 4.399; p = 0.02). This ordination separated the sampled lakes according to limnological variables and species composition of periphytic algae

Summary

Introduction

Floodplains are fluvial systems with high structural and functional complexity and elevated biological diversity; they are considered highly productive (Neiff, 1990; Ward et al, 2002; Agostinho et al, 2008). They are home to a great variety of communities of aquatic algae, characterized by greater species richness than other types of habitats in this floodplain (Thomaz et al, 1997; Agostinho et al, 2000) These environments show favourable conditions for the development and establishment of diverse algal communities (Agostinho et al, 2000; Thomaz et al, 2004) because they have different degrees of connectivity to the Paraná River’s main channel and especially because they support a great variety of aquatic macrophytes, which provide surfaces supporting biota such as periphyton (Rodrigues & Bicudo, 2001a; Thomaz et al, 2007; Algarte et al, 2009; Biolo et al, 2015)

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