Influência das variáveis ambientais e fatores espaciais na estruturação da comunidade de diatomáceas perifíticas ao longo de um ambiente lótico subtropical

Abstract

Diatoms are commonly used as bioindicators for water quality as they possess an intrinsic relationship with environmental conditions. The Cascavel River (24º57’21'’ S, 53º27’19'’ W) has headwaters primarily within an urban perimeter. Therefore, we evaluated the response of its diatom community relative to environmental changes with the aim of characterizing and comparing three lotic environments across the Cascavel microbasin from distinct landscapes and with distinct physical characteristics. In June of 2016, 10 substrates were collected for periphyton extraction in locations with different uses and soil purposes (conservation, urban, and agriculture respectively). One-hundred and nine intragenic taxa and 30 genera were found. Eunotia and Gomphonema presented elevated and representative richness at all stations, with totals of 14 and 11 respectively. Pinnularia and Navicula (12 and 8 taxa respectively) were significant indicator at the more upstream points; while Encyonema, Achnanthidium and Navicula (5, 5, and 6 taxa respectively) occurred primarily downstream. The sampling stations were quite distinct in their density, species richness, and physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The PERMANOVA test showed a significant difference between the stations based on the species abundance matrix (F = 5.04, R² = 0.15, p = 0.001), revealing the differences between the sampling stations’ communities. Upstream points within the conservation area possessed greater Eunotia density, which prefers low total nitrogen concentrations and electrical conductivity, which in turn reflects a well-preserved environment. The points in the urbanized area were characterized by high light availability associated with elevated electrical conductivity and high nitrate concentration favoring, thus, the development of cosmopolitan species such as Gomphonema lagenula, Gomphonema exilissimum, and Fragilaria gracillis. The agricultural points exhibited elevated flow, a factor limiting the dispersion of species and favoring the development of species from the genera Achnanthidium and Fragilaria. The variables related to the distribution of the community across the microbasin were flow, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, nitrate, ammonia, and total coliforms, all of which distinguished the environments. Except for spatial self-correlation, there wasn’t a single environmental filtering explanation for the diatom community variation. The abiotic variables differentiated the environment in conjunction with the spatial variation, as along the river, physical characteristics such as depth, water volume, flow, solar incidence, concentration of solids, and temperature varied, directly interfering with the periphytic community’s primary production.