Determination of reaeration‐rate coefficient by modified tracer gas technique

The modified tracer gas technique is used to determine the reaeration coefficient in six different water bodies of the Itajaí River basin, three with rural land use and three in urban areas. Propane was used as the tracer gas and Rhodamine WT as the conservative tracer, providing information on dilution, mixing and dispersion. Liquefied petroleum gas was used instead of high purity propane, aimed at reducing the costs associated with the field trials. Reaeration‐rate coefficients observed in the field ranged from 25.8 to 367.7 d^?1. Two data sets could be observed where smaller streams had substantially larger coefficients of between 133.1 and 367.7 d^?1, while the larger streams had values ??ranging from 25.8 to 54.5 d^?1. Five empirical equations were evaluated by comparing the values ??obtained in the field. The equations proposed by Tsivolgou and Wallace and Tsivoglou and Neal showed greater adherence to the values ??determined in the tests. Reaeration‐rate coefficients obtained in the field were correlated with the hydrodynamic characteristics of the watercourses, thus establishing a mathematical function through which to obtain estimates for future evaluations. The R² value obtained using this equation was 0.959, indicating a high correlation between the calculated values ??and those estimated in the field. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

HAND contour: a new proxy predictor of inundation extent

Tools for accurately predicting environmental risks, such as the location and spatial extent of potential inundation, are not widely available. A dependence on calibration and a lack of available flood data have prevented the widespread application of existing hydrodynamic methods for predicting the extent of inundation. We use the height above the nearest drainage (HAND) terrain model to develop a simple static approach for mapping the potential extent of inundation that does not depend on flood observations and extends beyond methods for mapping low‐lying areas. While relying on the contour concept, the method utilizes drainage‐normalized topography and flowpaths to delineate the relative vertical distances (drop) to the nearest river. The HAND‐delineated relative drop is an effective distributed predictor of flood potential, which is directly related to the river stage height. We validated the new HAND contour approach using a flood event in Southern Brazil for which high‐resolution maps were available. The results indicated that the flood hazard‐mapping method accurately predicted the inundation extent of the channel carrying the flood wave and the channels influenced by flooding. For channels positioned outside of the flood‐wave area, the method overestimated the actual flood extent. As an original static assessment of floodwaters across the landscape, the HAND contour method could be used to map flood hazards in areas with poor information and could promote the development of new methods for predicting hydrological hazards. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental quality evaluation of the Vacacaí River, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The water quality of the Vacacaí River was assessed at different sites in the period between winter 2005 and autumn 2006. All samples were analyzed for 52 elements (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, Li, Be, Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, In, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, U, Na, K, Hg, B, Mo, Sn, Te, Ti), temperature, pH, ammonia, and alkalinity levels. Water from the Vacacaí River ranged from slightly acidic to alkaline. No difference was observed in the chemical composition at different sites of the Vacacaí River. Levels of Ba, Ca, Sr and Mg increase in the dry seasons and reach their highest concentrations in autumn; Be and U decrease in the dry season and reach their highest concentration in spring. Al, Fe, Cr, Ni, Th, U Mn, Ca and Mg are highly positively related, indicating a common origin. Se and Cu are probably from anthropogenic source, from the rice crops of the margins of the river. Waterborne Al and Fe levels were above the desirable level for drinking water at all sites during all seasons. These results demonstrate the need for constant monitoring of water parameters, which is crucial to ensure water quality for the population of this region.     

Comparison of the spatio-temporal distribution of the roughneck shrimp Rimapenaeus constrictus (Stimpson, 1874) (Crustacea,Penaeoidea) from monthly samples collected 20 years apart: Effects of a marine protected area in southeastern Brazil

This study was motivated by the data about a Rimapenaeus constrictus population from Ubatuba Bay, obtained in the 1990s, and by the establishment of a marine protected area (MPA) in the same region in 2008. We obtained comparable data about the distribution and abundance of this species collected 20 years apart, to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPA, for its preservation and possible changes in the populational profile. Biotic and abiotic data were obtained monthly, in September 1995–August 1996 (period 1 = 1ºP), and in September 2016–August 2017 (period 2 = 2ºP), from five transects within Ubatuba Bay. In total, 710 and 2,362 individuals were caught in the 1^oP and 2^oP, respectively. Despite this increase in abundance, aspects of the spatial distribution did not change substantially. The high abundance recorded at 5 m of depth was probably due to the creation of the MPA and to the accumulation of detritus at this depth. The high abundance seen in the transect sheltered from waves may be related to sediment heterogeneity, which was higher in this transect, and to the fact that this area is naturally protected from fisheries. In the 1ºP, the highest abundances were recorded in spring and summer, whereas in the 2ºP, they occurred in autumn and winter. This change may be explained by the entrance of the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), which drives shrimps towards shallower areas. During the 2ºP, a fishing ban occurred in autumn (March 1st until May 31st), which is also when the SACW retreats and water temperature and salinity increase. These two factors combined may have been responsible for the increased shrimp abundance. In conclusion, both conservation practices (MPA and fishing ban) along with the existence of an area naturally protected from fisheries seem to have positively affected the population of R. constrictus, leading to an increase in abundance over the 20-year interval.     

Assessing the factors driving the changes in the spatio-temporal distribution of Hepatus pudibundus (Decapoda,Brachyura) over a 20-year interval in a region under the influence of El Niño (ENSO)

This study aimed to compare the spatio-temporal distribution of demographic groups of Hepatus pudibundus in the Ubatuba Bay, São Paulo, Brazil, over a 20-year interval. Two 1-year samplings were conducted: the 1st period (P1) ran from September 1995 to August 1996 and the 2nd period (P2) ran from September 2016 to August 2017. Samples were taken from five stations that differed in depth (5, 10, and 15 m) and location (exposed area and sheltered area), aboard a shrimp fishing boat. Over the 20-year period, the percentage of fine sediment increased in all stations. In total, we captured 865 H. pudibundus individuals in the P1 and 4,222 in the P2. The higher abundance seen in the P2 may have been caused by the effects of an intense ENSO event in Ubatuba, as well as co-occurring protective actions against fisheries activities in the region. The spatial distribution also changed after 20 years: In the P1, H. pudibundus were more concentrated in the 15 m station and exposed area, but they shifted to the sheltered area in the P2. This change may be related to the increase of fine sediments in this area, and to the fact that it is naturally protected from fisheries. According to the correspondence analysis, the abundance of males and juveniles was correlated with spring and winter, respectively. In the P1, females were more abundant in spring, whereas in the P2 they were more abundant in summer, which may be explained by a higher nutrient availability to the larvae in the summer of the P2. Our comparisons over the 20-year interval revealed that the spatio-temporal distribution of H. pudibundus has changed and that the population is well established in Ubatuba Bay.     

Can the pattern of juvenile recruitment and population structure of the speckled swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius (Decapoda: Brachyura) be determined by geographical variations?

This study evaluated the effect of environmental stimuli and selective pressures in different geographical areas along a latitudinal gradient, on the juvenile recruitment, population structure, and sex ratio of the speckled swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius. Samples were collected monthly during 1 year in three locations along the Brazilian coast: Macaé, state of Rio de Janeiro (MAC, 22°47′ S, 41°45′ W); Ubatuba, São Paulo (UBA, 23°27′ S, 44°58′ W); and São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina (SFS, 26°08′ S, 48°34′ W). The specimens of A. cribrarius were identified, counted, sexed, and measured for maximum carapace width (CW). The largest juvenile found was in UBA (47.7 ± 1.36 mm); and the largest adult females and males in MAC (74.26 ± 0.93 and 77.04 ± 0.79 mm, respectively). Recruitment in MAC was continuous, whereas in UBA and SFS, recruitment showed seasonal characteristics. The sex ratio was skewed toward females only in UBA; in MAC and SFS, males and females were present in equal proportions. These results indicate that geographical variations can cause differences in the recruitment and population structure of A. cribrarius. These regional differences call attention to the necessity for improved management plans and control of shrimp fishing, which can affect population patterns such as juvenile recruitment, population structure and life history of the target species and species that are caught in bycatch from shrimping, such as the swimming crab A. cribrarius.