Estructura taxonómica y funcional de macroinvertebrados en ríos de bosque y de zonas agrícolas en la llanura tucumana

Mario D. Stepanenko; Edgardo J. I. Pero; María C. Reynaga

doi:10.25260/EA.24.34.3.0.2345

Authors

Mario D. Stepanenko Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical (IBN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo (IML)
Edgardo J. I. Pero Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical (IBN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo (IML). Reserva Experimental Horco Molle (REHM) y Jardín Botánico Horco Molle (JBHM), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo (IML), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia Rafaela (UNRaf-CONICET).
María C. Reynaga Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical (IBN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo (IML)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.24.34.3.0.2345

Keywords:

agroecosystems, biomonitoring, Dry Chaco, ecotone, functional traits, Yungas forest

Abstract

Changes in land use affect the ecosystems integrity by modifying a wide variety of physical-chemical and biological aspects. The objective of this study was to compare physicochemical parameters and taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities between sites located in the plains of Tucuman province, in territories with agricultural use and reference sites with a greater forested area. Four sampling sites were selected: Río Chico and Río Marapa (forest use), and Río Balderrama and Río Seco (agricultural use). Between October and November 2017, physical and chemical variables of the water were measured with a multiparametric probe in the field, and the concentration of nutrients and ions was determined at the laboratory. Quantitative samples of benthic macroinvertebrates were collected with a D-net. For the functionality analysis, a table of four biological traits with their respective modalities, information that was coded using fuzzy methodology. The structure and composition of the assemblages were evaluated according to range-abundance curves. Environmental and biological data between sites were compared using multivariate analysis techniques. The sites subjected to agricultural use were characterized by higher nutrient values (phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate), lower dissolved oxygen values, less uniformity, Oligochaeta dominance and uniformity of biological traits. The reference sites reflected higher levels of dissolved oxygen and conductivity, greater evenness and greater variety of functional traits. The species richness was similar between the two types of cover. Replacement of forest cover by agriculture could affect the ecological diversity of rivers, even from a relatively low difference in coverage percentages. Due to the evidenced relationship between the types of cover, physical-chemical parameters of the water and the taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, these organisms stand out as bioindicators of environmental quality of rivers in Tucumán plain.

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