Aspectos da biogeoquímica dos rios Teles Pires e Cristalino - MT / Aspects of the biogeochemistry of Teles Pires and Cristalino rivers - MT

AUTOR(ES)
FONTE

IBICT - Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

04/06/2012

RESUMO

The Amazon basin occupies around 40% of the brazilian territory and contains more than 60% of the water resources of the country. Abundant and yet little exploited region water resources constitute a national treasure to which the nation can not turn its back. Besides changes in land use/cover, several hydroelectrical plants are planned for rivers in the region, among which the Teles Pires, in Mato Grosso. Little is known about the chemistry and its seasonal variations of many of the rivers in the basin. To supply more information in this regard, a sampling network was established in rivers where logistical and human resources conditions were available, within the so-called Beija-Rio network. This is a large multi-institutional effort to understand the functioning of the Amazon basin. In this study we present some aspects of this study particular to rivers Teles Pires and Cristalino, in the state of Mato Grosso, near the city of Alta Floresta. We observed that seasonal changes in precipitation result in significant variations in discharge for both rivers, but with consequences in water quality that no always identical. Regarding chemical composition discharge increases at the Teles Pires are followed by increases in solute amounts, whereas at the Cristalino the opposite occurs. This fact, associated with the predominance of calcium and with the presence of sulfate in the latter, indicate a relatively more important role of carbonate weathering, whereas at the Teles Pires flushing of soils by rain result in a predominance of sodium. However, in relation to seasonal variations in dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon concentrations, suspended sediments and pH, both rivers show identical responses to increased discharges. Such behavior has been observed in several other rivers of the Beija-Rio network, indicating that although the chemical composition of amazonian rivers might have distinct sources, parameters controlled by biotic processes, such as organic carbon and dissolved oxygen, show common patterns, independently of chemical nature of the waters. Although this is not the focus of this work, we can deduce that life forms that feed on this system (such as fish) are adapted to such environmental conditions. These fundamental characteristics of the functioning of these fluvial systems should be better understood and incorporated into use and management plans for these systems which, although still abundant, might become scarce rapidly as a result of inadequate or unsustainable practices.

ASSUNTO(S)

amazon basin bacia hidrográfica - amazônia biogeochemistry biogeoquímica cristalino river mato grosso mato grosso rio cristalino rio teles pires teles pires river title

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