We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The eutrophication history of a tropical water supply reservoir in Brazil

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Journal of Paleolimnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Guarapiranga Reservoir is the second most important public water supply in São Paulo, Brazil and has been eutrophic for several decades. We inferred the major ecological shifts for the period 1919–2010 related to multiple stressors (forest flooding, hydrological change, use of algicide and eutrophication), using geochemistry (TOC, TN, TP, C/N, δ15N, δ13C) and diatom assemblages in a short (75-cm) sediment core. Thirty-two diatom species were abundant in the core and stratigraphically constrained incremental sum of squares analysis enabled identification of three diatom zones and four subzones, i.e. depths at which marked changes in species composition occurred. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic, oligotrophic taxa, mainly Eunotia, influenced by flooded vegetation after dam construction. A shift to dominance by a planktonic species (Eunotia tukanorum) occurred ca. 1932, during the period of initial physical disturbance and early use of the water body as a public water supply. Diatoms and geochemical variables show that the reservoir was oligotrophic from ~1919 to 1947. Eutrophication began ~1975 and by the early 1980s the reservoir had become eutrophic, in response to an explosive increase in human population in the watershed. Severe cultural eutrophication has persisted since ~1990. Higher concentrations of copper in the sediments, beginning in 1991, reflect the increased use of copper sulfate to control cyanobacteria blooms and provide a chronological marker. Higher δ15N values in recent sediments indicate greater sewage inputs and low C/N values reflect the predominant contribution of algae to sediment organic matter. Eutrophic taxa Cyclotella meneghiniana and Nitzschia sp. dominate recent diatom assemblages, along with Aulacoseira granulata, a species that is tolerant of copper sulfate. Diatom assemblages reflect multiple stressors, however, geochemical information provides a better understanding of the early phase of the reservoir. Paleolimnologically documented trophic state changes in this important drinking water supply are largely attributable to increased urbanization of the drainage basin and inputs of sewage. Management efforts should focus on mitigating this nutrient source.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Appleby P, Oldfield F (1978) The calculation of lead-210 dates assuming a constant rate of supply of unsupported Pb-210 to the sediment. Catena 5:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW (1986) Diatoms analysis. In: Berglund BE (ed) Handbook of Holocene Paleohydrology. Wiley, New York, pp 527–570

    Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Bennion H (2011) Palaeolimnology and its developing role in assessing the history and extent of human impact on lake ecosystems. J Paleolimnol 45:399–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Jones VJ, Flower RJ, Cameron NG, Bennion H, Carvalho L, Juggins S (2001) Diatoms. In: Smol JP, Birks HJB, Last WM (eds) Tracking environmental change using lake sediments, terrestrial, algal, and siliceous indicators, vol 3. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 155–202

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Anderson NJ, Jeppesen E, Leavitt PR (2005) Combining palaeolimnological and limnological approaches in assessing lake ecosystem response to nutrient reduction. Freshw Biol 50:1772–1780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennion H, Fluin J, Simpson GL (2004) Assessing eutrophication and reference conditions for Scottish freshwater lochs using subfossil diatoms. J Appl Ecol 41:124–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyruth Z (2000) Periodic disturbances, trophic gradient and phytoplankton characteristics related to cyanobacterial growth in Guarapiranga Reservoir, São Paulo State, Brazil. Hydrobiologia 424:51–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blott SJ, Pye K (2001) Gradstat: a grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments. Earth Surf Proc Land 26:1237–1248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • California Academy of Sciences (2012) Diatom collection. http://research.calacademy.org/izg/research/diatom. Accessed 10 Nov 2012

  • Cattaneo A, Couillard Y, Wunsam S, Courcelles M (2004) Diatom taxonomic and morphological changes as indicators of metal pollution and recovery in Lac Dufault (Québec, Canada). J Paleolimnol 32:163–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa-Böddeker S, Bennion H, Jesus TA, Albuquerque ALS, Figueira RCL, Bicudo DC (2012) Paleolimnologically inferred eutrophication of a shallow, tropical, urban reservoir in southeast Brazil. J Paleolimnol 48:751–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo SD, Udy J, Longstaff B, Jones A (2005) Using nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) of macroalgae to determine the effectiveness of sewage upgrades: changes in the extent of sewage plumes over four years in Moreton Bay, Australia. Mar Pollut Bull 51:212–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeNicola DM (2000) A review of diatoms found in highly acidic environments. Hydrobiologia 433:111–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong X, Bennion H, Battarbee R, Yang X, Yang H, Liu E (2008) Tracking eutrophication in Taihu Lake using the diatom record: potential and problems. J Paleolimnol 40:413–429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eloranta P (1986) Phytoplankton structure in different lake types in central Finland. Ecography 9:214–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falasco E, Bona F, Badino G, Hoffmann L, Ector L (2009) Diatom teratological forms and environmental alterations: a review. Hydrobiologia 623:1–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falconer IR (1999) An overview of problems caused by toxic blue–green algae (cyanobacteria) in drinking and recreational water. Environ Toxicol 14:5–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fargašová A (2001) Phytotoxic effects of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu and Fe on Sinapis alba L. seedlings and their accumulation in roots and shoots. Biol Plantarum 44:471–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn W (1968) The determination of low levels of polonium-210 in environmental materials. Anal Chim Acta 43:221–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furey P (2010) Eunotia. In: Diatoms of the United States. http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/genus/eunotia. Accessed 12 Dec 2012

  • Grimm (1991) TILIA version 1.11. TILIAGRAPH version 1.18. In: Gear A (ed) A user notebook. Illinois State Museum, Springfield, USA

  • Gunn AM, Hunt DTE, Winnard DA (1989) The effect of heavy metal speciation in sediment on bioavailability to tubificid worms. Hydrobiologia 188:487–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaton T (1986) Isotopic studies of nitrogen pollution in the hydrosphere and atmosphere: a review. Chem Geol 59:87–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishii S, Sadowsky MJ (2008) Escherichia coli in the environment: implications for water quality and human health. Microbes Environ 23:101–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jinglu W, Chengmin H, Haiao Z, Schleser GH, Battarbee R (2007) Sedimentary evidence for recent eutrophication in the northern basin of Lake Taihu, China: human impacts on a large shallow lake. J Paleolimnol 38:13–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juggins S (2003) C2 user guide. Software for ecological and palaeoecological data analysis and visualisation. University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne 69 p

  • Kelman J, Pereira MVF, Neto TAA, Sales PRH (2002) Hidreletrecidade. In: Rebouças AC, Braga B, Tundisi JG (eds) Águas Doces do Brasil, Escrituras, São Paulo, Brasil. Freshwater of Brazil, Hydroeletricity, p 703

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenkel N, Orloci L (1986) Applying metric and nonmetric multidimensional scaling to ecological studies: some new results. Ecology 67:919–928

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakatos M, Lange-Bertalot H, Büdel B (2004) Diatoms living inside the thallus of the green algal lichen coenogonium linkii in neotropical lowland rain forest. J Phycol 40:70–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laux M, Torgan LC (2011) Diatomáceas com plastídeos no plâncton da foz dos rios do Delta do Jacuí, sul do Brasil: um complemento à taxonomia tradicional 1. Iheringia, Ser Bot 66: 109–132 (Plankton diatoms with plastids at the mouth of the Jacuí Delta rivers, South Brazil: a complement to the traditional taxonomy)

  • Lecointe C, Coste M, Prygiel J (1993) “Omnidia”: software for taxonomy, calculation of diatom indices and inventories management. Hydrobiologia 209(270):509–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lepskaya EV, Jewson DH, Usoltseva MV (2010) Aulacoseira subarctica in Kurilskoye Lake, Kamchatka: a deep, oligotrophic lake and important Pacific salmon nursery. Diatom Res 25:323–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Lin Z, Zhang H, Han BP (2012) Hydrodynamic change recorded by diatoms in sediments of Liuxihe Reservoir, Southern China. J Paleolimnol 47:17–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metzeltin D, Lange-Bertalot H (2007) Tropical Diatoms of South America, 2. In: Lange-Bertalot H (ed) Iconogr Diatomol, Annotated Diatom Micrographs, Koeltz Scientific Books, Sttutgart 15: 1–736

  • Meyers PA (2003) Applications of organic geochemistry to paleolimnological reconstructions: a summary of examples from the Laurentian Great Lakes. Org Geochem 34:261–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moro RS, Fürstenberg CB (1997) Catálogo dos principais parâmetros ecológicos de diatomáceas não marinhas. Ponta Grossa: Ed. UEPG 282 p (Catalogue of the main ecological features of non marine diatoms)

  • Moura CL, Sígolo JB (2002) Heavy metals concentration (Cr, Cu, Ni And Zn) in bottom sediments of the Embu-Mirim River-SP. An Acad Bras de Cienc 74:545–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mozeto AA, Silvério PF, Soares A (2001) Estimates of benthic fluxes of nutrients across the sediment–water interface (Guarapiranga reservoir, São Paulo, Brazil). Sci Total Environ 266:135–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munsell Color Co (1975) Munsell soil color charts. Munsell Color Company, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Räsänen J, Kauppila T, Salonen VP (2006) Sediment-based investigation of naturally or historically eutrophic lakes—implications for lake management. J Environ Manage 79:253–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raupp S, Torgan L, Melo S (2009) Planktonic diatom composition and abundance in the Amazonian floodplain Cutiuaú Lake are driven by the flood pulse. Acta Limnol Brasil 21:227–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Round FE, Crawford RM, Mann DG (1990) The diatoms: biology and morphology of the genera. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 747 p

  • Rumrich U, Lange-Bertalot H, Rumrich M (2000) Diatoms of the Andes from Venezuela to Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and two additional contributions. In: Lange-Bertalot H (ed) Iconogr Diatom, Annotated Diatoms Micrographs, Phytogeography Diversity Taxonomy, Koeltz Scientific Books, königstein, Germany, vol 9, 673 pp

  • Sabater S, Sabater F (1998) Diatom assemblages in the River Ter. Arch Hydrobiol 111:397–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Shotbolt L, Hutchinson SM, Thomas AD (2001) Establishing the sediment stratigraphy of reservoirs in the southern Pennines, UK. Hydrol Sci J 46:701–713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sioli H (1984) The Amazon: limnology and landscape ecology of a mighty tropical river and its basin. W. Junk, Dordrecht, The Netherlands 763 p

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Siver PA, Hamilton PB, Morales EA (2006) Two new planktic species of Eunotia (Bacillariophyceae) from freshwater waterbodies in North Carolina, USA. Arch Hydrobiol Suppl Algol Stud 119:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Smol JP, Cumming BF (2000) Tracking long-term changes in changes in climate using algal indicators in lake sediments. J Phycol 36:986–1011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoof-Leichsenring KR, Junginger A, Olaka LA, Tiedemann R, Trauth MH (2011) Environmental variability in Lake Naivasha, Kenya, over the last two centuries. J Paleolimnol 45:353–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibby J, Reid MA (2004) A model for inferring past conductivity in low salinity waters derived from Murray River (Australia) diatom plankton. Mar Freshw Res 55:597–607

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibby J, Gell PA, Fluin J, Sluiter IRK (2007) Diatom–salinity relationships in wetlands: assessing the influence of salinity variability on the development of inference models. Hydrobiologia 591:207–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker J, Sheats N, Giblin A, Hopkinson C, Montoya J (1999) Using stable isotopes to trace sewage-derived material through Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay. Mar Environ Res 48:353–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Dam H, Mertens A, Sinkeldam J (1994) A coded checklist and ecological indicator values of freshwater diatoms from the Netherlands. Neth J Aquat Ecol 28:117–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viana S, Rocha O (2005) The toxicity of copper sulphate and atrazine to the diatom Aulacoseira Granulata (Ehrenberg) Simmons. Acta Limnol Brasil 17:291–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayland M, Hobson KA (2001) Stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in riparian food webs on rivers receiving sewage and pulp-mill effluents. Can J Zool 79:5–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel CE (2011) Biodiversidade e padrões de distribuição de diatomáceas (Ochrophyta: Bacillariophyceae) na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brasil. São Paulo: Instituto de Botânica, PhD thesis, 1911p (Biodiversity and distribution patterns of diatom assemblages in the Rio Negro hydrological basin, Amazon, Brazil)

  • Wetzel CE, Ector L, Hoffmann L, Bicudo DC (2010) Colonial planktonic Eunotia (Bacillariophyceae) from Brazilian Amazon: taxonomy and biogeographical considerations on the E. asterionelloides species complex. Nova Hedwigia 91:49–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Whately M, Cunha P (2006) Proposition priority actions to ensure good quality water for public supply. Institute Socioenvironmental, Prefeitura da Cidade de São Paulo 117p

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, Anderson NJ, Dong X, Shen JI (2008) Surface sediment diatom assemblages and epilimnetic total phosphorus in large, shallow lakes of the Yangtze floodplain: their relationships and implications for assessing long-term eutrophication. Freshw Biol 53:1273–1290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zalat AA (2000) Distribution and paleoecological significance of fossil diatom assemblages from the Holocene sediments of Lake Manzala. Egypt Diatom Res 15:167–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funds from the FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, AcquaSed Project, no 2009/53898-9), and was undertaken as part of LF’s Ph.D. thesis (FAPESP doctoral fellowship 08/57139-2 to LF) at UNESP (Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brazil). Funds were also provided by CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, grant 305072/2009-9 to DCB). We deeply appreciate the valuable assistance of personnel from the agency in charge of the public water supply in São Paulo—SABESP/RHMS (Companhia de Saneamento do Estado de São Paulo, Divisão de Recursos Hídricos Metropolitanos Sudoeste), who helped with core sampling. We are also grateful to Prof. William de Queiróz and Márcio R. M. de Andrade (Universidade de Guarulhos, Laboratório de Geoprocessamento) for providing the illustration of the study area. We thank all the students and technicians involved in the field and laboratory work. The authors also wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions that greatly improved this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, Instituto de Botânica, Av. Miguel Stéfano, 3687, São Paulo, SP, 04301-012, Brazil

    Luciane Fontana & Denise C. Bicudo

  2. Departamento de Geoquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Outeiro São João Batista, s/n, Niterói, RJ, 24020-015, Brazil

    Ana Luiza S. Albuquerque

  3. Department of Geological Sciences and Land Use and Environmental Change Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2120, USA

    Mark Brenner

  4. Departamento de Petrologia e Metalogenia, Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, Av. 24-A, 1515, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil

    Daniel M. Bonotto

  5. Universidade Santa Cecília, Unisanta, Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 277, Santos, SP, 11045-097, Brazil

    Tatiani P. P. Sabaris

  6. Centro de Química e Meio Ambiente, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Cidade Universitária, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil

    Maria A. F. Pires & Marycel E. B. Cotrim

Authors
  1. Luciane Fontana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ana Luiza S. Albuquerque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mark Brenner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel M. Bonotto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tatiani P. P. Sabaris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Maria A. F. Pires
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Marycel E. B. Cotrim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Denise C. Bicudo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Luciane Fontana or Denise C. Bicudo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fontana, L., Albuquerque, A.L.S., Brenner, M. et al. The eutrophication history of a tropical water supply reservoir in Brazil. J Paleolimnol 51, 29–43 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-013-9753-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-013-9753-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation