Composição Florística do Fitoplâncton e as Variáveis Limnológicas do lago Arara: um lago de várzea da Amazônia Brasileira

Abstract

Lake Arara is a permanent body of water on the floodplain of the Solimões river, and distant 133km upstream from its confluence with the Negro river.The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomic structure of the phytoplankton community and some limnological variables at Lake Arara in the distinct (high and low water) and complementary (rising and falling water) periods of the Solimões river hydrological regime. The variables sampled were transparency, incident light, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen. The phytoplankton community was represented by 268 taxa, distributed in 5 divisions, 9 classes, 24 orders and 98 genera. According to the frequency of occurrence, 161 taxa were of sporadic species, 61 taxa of frequent species and 46 taxa of constant species. The divisions Chlorophyta (139 taxa), Chromophyta (55 taxa) and Euglenophyta (51 taxa) were the most abundant. The seasonal dynamics of the phytoplankton community at Lake Arara showed the maximum distribution at rising water (191 taxa) and the minimum at low water (64 taxa) levels. Chlorophyta predominated over the others divisions on the rising (56.5%) and high (50.6%) water levels, with special emphasis on the classes Zygnemaphyceae (36-23%) and Chlorophyceae (19-28%). The codominance of Euglenophyta (37-34%) and Chlorophyta (36-33%) characterized the falling and low water levels, with special emphasis on the classes Euglephyceae (37-34%) and Chlorophyceae (26-27%). The transparency values were within the range considered typical for floodplain lakes (0.3-2.0m). The proportion of the illuminated water column showed a strong relation with depth (Pmax), ranging from 6.4% at high water (Pmax = 10.0m) to 33% at low water (Pmax = 2.6m) levels. Temperature showed little variation (27.9°C ± 1.5) ranging from 29-31°C on the surface and 26-30°C in the bottom water. Electrical conductivity (28-71 S25/cm) and pH (6.1-6.8) reflected the different degrees of mixing (riverine inflow and local drainage) of water in the lake, which showed a slightly acid to neutral character. The degree of oxygenation of the surface waters varied between 3-6 mg/L (40-90% saturation), with a marked reduction of the oxygen content with depth, leading to the occurrence of hypoxic and anoxic conditions from the medium to the deep layers of the lake, except at low water level, where complete oxygenation of the entire water column occurs.