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Nutrient dynamics in water resources of productive flatland territories in the Pampean region of Argentina: evaluation at a watershed scale

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Abstract

The Pampean plains in South America are well-known for their livestock and agricultural productivity. The peri-urban watershed of El Pescado Creek (Central-Eastern Argentina) has been significantly modified in the last few years due to local land-use changes. This work aims to analyze the dynamics of nutrient content associated with the surface water-groundwater relationship in this watershed and to define the trophic state of the watercourse. Sampling sites were selected for both surface water and groundwater analyses, and field surveys were carried out during the spring and summer of 2017. Handmade shallow groundwater wells were installed along the floodplain of the watercourse. Deep groundwater was analyzed in agricultural and livestock farms. In situ determinations included dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, transparency, and temperature measurements. Laboratory analyses included NO3−-N, total nitrogen (TN), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total phosphorus (TP), and phytobenthonic and phytoplanktonic chlorophyll-a. Results showed an increase in EC and nutrient concentration in the summer samples (both in surface water and shallow groundwater), along with higher turbidity of the surface water. Water flow was dissimilar between samplings (spring: 1.735 m3/s, summer: 0.065 m3/s), showing contrasting hydrological scenarios. Low wash-out conditions enhanced phytobenthonic algae biomass growth, turning most of the sites towards a eutrophic state in summer. Our results showed that the dynamics of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in the watershed of El Pescado Creek depend on the hydrodynamic processes of the watershed, the different land-uses, and the chemical characteristics of these compounds. In order to develop sustainable management strategies, further understanding of nutrient concentrations effects, and the factors affecting them, must be done in this area of the Pampean region.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors also thank, for providing chlorophyll-a analysis facilities, the Instituto de Limnología Dr. Raúl Ringuelet (CONICET-UNLP), La Plata, Argentina.

Funding

Funding was provided by Grant N843 and Grant N944, from the Incentive Program for Teaching and Research, Ministry of Education, Argentina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina

    María Isabel Delgado

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), División Ficología, Museo de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Paseo del Bosque S/N, B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina

    María Isabel Delgado & María Adela Casco

  3. División Ficología, Museo de La Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Paseo del Bosque S/N, B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina

    María Elicia Mac Donagh

  4. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas (CIG), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, diagonal 113, N° 275, B1904DPK, La Plata, Argentina

    Carolina Tanjal & Eleonora Carol

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  1. María Isabel Delgado
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Correspondence to María Isabel Delgado.

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Delgado, M.I., Mac Donagh, M.E., Casco, M.A. et al. Nutrient dynamics in water resources of productive flatland territories in the Pampean region of Argentina: evaluation at a watershed scale. Environ Monit Assess 195, 236 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10838-7

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