Abstract
The presence of fecal coliforms is one of the determinants for classification of the quality of water bodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the water quality and surrounding land use in the area known as the Mantiqueira Ecological Corridor, which straddles the borders of the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, in Brazil. More particularly, we studied ten municipalities in Minas Gerais located in the region surrounding Serra do Papagaio State Park and Ibitipoca State Park. We established a classification of water bodies in the area surrounding the collection points in drainage basins based on the principles of sustainability. Using TM/Landsat 5 images, SPOTMap mosaics and the SRTM digital elevation model, we correlated land use classes with the environmental contamination index and topographic characteristics of the area studied. The presence of agriculture and urban areas heightened the differences in water quality classification in the comparison between the dry and rainy seasons, while in forested areas there was a greater equilibrium, with the same classification between the two seasons.
Highlights
The need for monitoring water quality is set forth, in various important environmental regulatory documents [1].How to cite this paper: Santos, G.M., Lopes-Assad, M.L.R.C., Hott, M.C. and Otenio, M.H (2014) Water Quality and Agricultural Sustainability in the Mantiqueira Ecological Corridor, Brazil
From the Land Use and Cover Map for 2010 (Figure 6) it was possible to confirm the predominance of forest and agricultural areas in the study region
A study defining a water quality index to characterize the Mantiqueira Range region by Principal Component Analysis showed that indicators with greatest weight were total coliform, nitrate, fecal coliform, chemical oxygen demand and temperature [2]
Summary
The need for monitoring water quality is set forth, in various important environmental regulatory documents [1]. How to cite this paper: Santos, G.M., Lopes-Assad, M.L.R.C., Hott, M.C. and Otenio, M.H (2014) Water Quality and Agricultural Sustainability in the Mantiqueira Ecological Corridor, Brazil. In Brazil, the governmental body that sets standards and criteria related to the control and maintenance of environmental quality, with a perspective on the appropriate use of environmental resources, especially water, is the National Environmental Council (CONAMA), an advisory and deliberative agency chaired by the Minister of Environment. The area of the Mantiqueira Mountain Range has a great economic and environmental importance [2]. The main pressures on the environment are traditional forms of land management and use, with extensive grazing of livestock, burning of forest and planting in protected areas and on steep hillsides
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