Streams in the biggest Atlantic Forest reserve: learn to conserve

Abstract

The Cantareira State Park is one of the largest protected areas located in urban area, with circa 8,000 hectares of Atlantic rainforest. It is an important water source for a significant part of the population in metropolitan area of Sao Paulo. Despite its importance for the provision of water and conservation of aquatic biota, little is known about the water quality of the numerous lotic systems found in its interior. Moreover, such environments are subject to anthropogenic pressures arising from the urbanization of the park surroundings. Since they are in an integral protection conservation unity, these water bodies in the special class (CONAMA Resolution 357) being designed for the conservation of aquatic environments and should be kept natural conditions or providing the return to these conditions if they changed. In this context, this research project aims to evaluate the water quality of lotic environments of the park in order to establish the reference condition for the area. For that water quality will be evaluated in a systematic way by performing analysis of: a) the physical environment (topography and vegetation) through satellite imagery, b) the aquatic habitat through the use of rapid assessment protocol; c) of physical, chemical and biological water and d) the community of benthic invertebrates as an indicator of water quality. Results will be analyzed in an integrated way so that at the end of the project, the reference condition with respect to lotic environments will be known. This information is vital for the management of the Cantareira State Park, given its importance as a conservation area and water supply. (AU)