Environmental Assessment of Patagonia's Water Resources

ISBN-13: 9783030896751 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 360 str.

Opis

This book presents contributions devoted to the hydrogeochemical characterization of aquatic environments of Patagonia, including those of Ushuaia city, known as "The southernmost city in the world".  Patagonia (between 39° and 55° S) is located in southern South America. Eight main river systems pour their waters into the SW Atlantic Ocean. Rivers, with their headwaters mainly located in the Andes, supply dissolved and particulate matter to the coastal zone, as well as nutrients, which benefit biological communities. Besides, freshwater in this region with little anthropogenic impact supports human life and a high wildlife biodiversity. Unfortunately, the recent increase in human activities, such as the use of fertilizers, wastewater discharges, extensive deforestation and dam construction, is affecting the quality and quantity of water resources. The book is of interest for researchers, professors and government agencies that decide on water resources management policies.

Spis treści

Foreward DEPETRIS, P.J. Introduction TORRES, A.I., AND CAMPODONICO, V.A. 1 Effects of Multiple Stressors Associated with Land-use Practices in the Percy Corintos Basin (Northwest Chubut): An Ecological Assessment MISERENDINO, M.L., WILLIAMS-SUBIZA, E., MANZO, L.M., HORAK, C.N., BRAND, C., ASSEF, Y.A., AND EPELE, L.B. 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Study Area Description 1.2.1 Esquel Stream 1.2.2 Percy River 1.2.3 Corintos Lower Basin 1.3 Land Use Practices in the Catchment 1.3.1 Esquel Stream-Percy River System: Urbanization Effects 1.3.2 Lower Percy River: Sedimentation and Eutrophication Symptoms 1.3.3 Effects of Agricultural Practices on the Corintos Lower Basin 1.3.4 Environmental and Ecological Functions of Wetlands in the Basin 1.3.5 Water Quality and the Ecological Status of the Aquatic Systems in the Basin 1.4 Mitigation Action and Perspectives 2 The Manso River Drainage System in the Northern Patagonian Andes: Hydrological, Hydrochemical and Nutrient Dynamics LECOMTE, K.L., PASQUINI, A.I., SEPÚLVEDA, L.D., TEMPORETTI, P., PEDROZO, F., AND DEPETRIS, P.J. 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Geographical Framework 2.3 Hydroclimatic Overview 2.4 Hydrochemistry and Weathering Signature 2.5 Suspended Sediments and Nutrient Dynamic 2.6 Concluding Summary 3 Geothermal Influence on the Hydrochemistry of Surface Streams in Patagonia Neuquina VILLALBA, E., SANTUCCI, L., BORZI, G., PASQUINI, A.I., PÁEZ, G., AND CAROL, E. 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Field Methodology and Laboratory Analysis 3.3 Chemical Characteristics of Streams 3.4 Hydrogeochemical Processes and Geothermal Influence on Streams 3.5 Perspectives and Future Work 4 Hydrogeochemistry of an Acid River and Lake Related to an Active Volcano. The Case of Study: Agrio River - Copahue Volcano in Patagonia, Argentina LLANO, J., LAMBERTI, M.C., SIERRA, D., AND AGUSTO, M. 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Study Area 4.2.1 Geological Setting 4.2.2 The Hydrological System of the Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex 4.3 Methodology 4.4 Results 4.5 Discussion 4.5.1 Major cations 4.5.2 Trace and Rare Earth Elements 4.5.3 Hydroxysulfates Precipitation 4.6 Conclusions 5 Negro River Environmental Assessment ARIAS, A.H., MACCHI, P., ABRAMETTO, M., SOLIMANO, P., MIGUELES, N., RIVAS, F.G., FUNES, A.I., CALABRESE, G., SORICETTI, M., BERNARDIS, A., BAGGIO, R.B., LABAUT, Y., AND MARCOVECCHIO, J.E. 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Persistent Organic Pollutants 5.3 Heavy Metal Pollution 5.3.1 Water 5.3.2 Sediments 5.3.3 Fish 5.4 Freshwater Macroinvertebrates Assemblages 5.5 Introduced species: Status and Potential Problems 5.5.1 Salmonids 5.5.2 Cyprinus carpio 5.5.3 Native species 5.5.3.1 Geotria macrostoma 5.5.3.2 Aplochiton spp. 5.5.3.3 Dyplomistes viedmensis 5.5.4 Environmental Threats for Fish Assemblages 6 Patagonia's Chubut River: Overview of the Main Hydrological and Geochemical Features DEPETRIS, P.J., AND PASQUINI, A.I. 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Physiographic and Climatic Features 6.1.2 Geological Setting 6.1.3 Methodology 6.2 Hydrological Aspects 6.3 Geochemical Perspective 6.3.1 Main Characteristics 6.3.2 Provenance of Inorganic Dissolved Phases 6.3.3 The Organic Load 6.4 Sediments 6.4.1 TSS Yield and Transport 6.4.2 The Geochemical Signature of Sediments 6.5 Summary and Final Comments 7 Hydrochemical Characteristics of Mid-Low Sections of North Patagonia Rivers, Argentina VÉLEZ-AGUDELO, C., MARTÍNEZ, D.E., QUIROZ LONDOÑO, O.M., AND ESPINOSA, M.A. 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Regional Setting and Previous Studies 7.3 Materials and Methods 7.3.1 Sample Collection and Chemical Analysis 7.3.2 Preprocessing Data and Numerical Methods 7.4 Results 7.4.1 General and Seasonal Variability 7.4.2 Rivers Hydrogeochemistry 7.5 Discussion 7.6 Conclusions 8 Hydrochemistry of Patagonian Wet Meadows (mallines) Under Different Geological Frames ALVAREZ, M.P., CAROL, E., PASQUALE PÉREZ, M.P., MELENDI, E., AND VILLALBA, E. 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Wet Meadows in the Mountain Sector of the Neuquén Embayment. Domuyo Sector 8.3 Wet Meadows in the Patagonian Tablelands. Península Valdés Sector 8.4 Wet Meadows Associated with the Somún Curá Massif. Carri Laufquen Sector 8.5 Wet Meadows Associated with the Deseado Massif 8.6 Perspective and Future Work 9 The Main Hydrological Features of Patagonia’s Santa Cruz River: An Updated Assessment PASQUINI, A.I., COSENTINO, N.J., AND DEPETRIS, P.J. 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Geographical Features 9.2.1 ENSO and SAM 9.3 Data and Methods 9.4 River discharge dynamics 9.4.1 Mean Hydrograph and Discharge Time Series 9.4.2 Trends 9.4.3 The Connection Between Glacier’s Collapse and River Discharge 9.4.4 Harmonic Analysis 9.5 Concluding Comments 10 The Role of Sediments and Phosphorus in the Evaluation of Water Resources Quality in Patagonia TEMPORETTI, P., BEAMUD, G., LEÓN, J., ROTONDO, L., CUEVAS, M., AND PEDROZO, F. 10.1 Introduction 10.1.1 Study Area 10.1.2 Methodology 10.2 Effect of pH in P Adsorption Dynamics in Sediments 10.3 Texture, Chemical Characterization and Mineralogy 10.4 Phosphorus and its Fractions 10.5 Phosphorus Fixation/Release Capacity 10.6 Bioassays with Sediments 10.7 Conclusions 11 A Hydrological and Biogeochemical Appraisal of Patagonia’s Río Gallegos DEPETRIS, P.J., GAIERO, D.M., AND COSENTINO, N.J. 11.1 Introduction 11.1.1 Geographic Characteristics 11.1.2 Methodology 11.2 Hydrological Features 11.3 Biogeochemical Evaluation 11.3.1 Dissolved Components 11.3.2 Particulate Organic Constituents 11.4 Final Observations 12 Vertical Electrical Sounding Applied to Hydrolithological Interpretations in the Fuegian Steppe, Argentina GORZA, C., LEXOW, C., PONCE, J.F., CORONATO, A., LÓPEZ, R., AND VILLARREAL, M.L. 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Study Area 12.3 Methodology 12.4 Results and Analysis 12.4.1 Geoelectrical Resistivity 12.4.2 Hydrochemistry 12.5 Discussion: Lithological and Hydrolithological Interpretations 12.6 Conclusions 13 Water Quality Assessment in Urban Watersheds of Tierra del Fuego: A Perspective from the Integrated Water Resources Management DIODATO, S., NOHRA, Y., NOIR, G., ESCOBAR, J., MANSILLA, R., AND MORETTO, A. 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Study Area 13.3 Materials and Methods 13.3.1 Sampling Sites and Experimental Design 13.3.2 Legal Framework 13.3.3 Data Analysis 13.3.4 Calculation of CCME WQI 13.4 Results and Discussions 13.4.1 Spatial Variation of Water Quality Parameters in Grande River 13.4.2 Spatial Variation of Water Quality Parameters in Ushuaia Watercourses 13.4.3 CCME WQI Results 13.4.4 The Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Tierra del Fuego Basins: Threats and Affected Functions and Services 13.5 Conclusions 14 Disturbances in Freshwater Environments of Patagonia: A Review ITURRASPE, R. 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Impacts of Volcanic Eruptions on Freshwaters 14.2.1 Physical Changes Produced by Volcanic Eruptions Affecting Freshwaters 14.2.1.1 Hudson Eruption, 1991 14.2.1.2 Copahue-Caviahue Volcanic Complex Eruption, 2000 14.2.1.3 Chaitén Eruption, 2008 14.2.1.4 Cordon Caulle-Puyehue Volcanic Complex Eruption, 2011 14.2.1.5 Calbuco Eruption, 2015 14.2.2 Water Quality Changes 14.2.2.1 Arsenic 14.2.2.2 Mercury 14.2.3 Biologic Effects 14.3 Alien Invasive Species Disturbances 14.3.1 Salmonids 14.3.2 Didymo 14.3.3 Beaver Invasion in Tierra del Fuego 14.4 Climate Change Effects on Freshwaters 14.4.1 Lake Changes 14.4.2 Glacial Lake Outburst Floods 14.5 Land Use and Land Cover Changes 14.5.1 Urban Land Use 14.5.2 Effects of Intensive Agriculture 14.5.3 Forest Fires 14.5.4 Oil Exploitation 14.6 Conclusions Glossary