Estructura y dinámica del fitoepifiton en cuerpos de agua temporarios del Cinturón Hortícola Platense

Abstract

The horticultural belt of La Plata is a complex framework of lands with a marked urban influence. The unregulated use of agrochemicals is one of the most important sources of superficial and underground water contamination producing drastic changes in the biodiversity of natural communities. The shallowness of the temporary waters favors the macrophyte growth which, in turn, allows the colonization of the phytoepiphyton. Four samplings were carried out during spring 2011 and summer 2012 in four adjacent temporary waters of different agroecosystems, three of them with agricultural activity (site over 5 meters crops, CUL1 and CUL2; site within 5 meters of crops: CUL3) and one, taken as reference (REF), with livestock activity. Seven species of macrophytes were sampled, two submerged and 5 emergent. 88 phytoepiphytic species were recorded, being clorophytes and diatoms the dominant groups. The submerged macrophytes presented a higher mean abundance than the emergent ones in all the sampling sites. Oedogonium species were dominant in all temporary waters. L. peploides showed the highest total specific richness while S. californicus presented the highest mean diversity specific. The highest phytoepiphyton mean abundance was recorded in CUL1 while the least phytoepiphytic density was found in REF. Nygaard index shows that the four temporary waters are meso to eutrophic. The conductivity was the most significant factor in the distribution of diatoms species in temporary waters.