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COURSE TITLE: Fluvial paradigms: between myths and realities at the confluence of the Paraná and Paraguay Rivers

INSTRUCTORS Dra. Alicia Susana Guadalupe Poi

COURSE DESCRIPTION Fluvial paradigms: between myths and realities at the confluence of the ParanáFloodplains near the confluence of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers in South America experience a hydrologic regime with a broad range in amplitude, intensity, seasonality and recurrence of flood and drought pulses. According to historic time series, some extraordinary floods have been associated with ENSO events; while droughts of extreme duration (e.g., 10yrs) have been recorded, but their resulting effects have not been studied in detail. The floodplain at this location, approximately 31 km upstream of Corrientes, Argentina, varies between 10 and 40 km in width; where the hydrological regime is a major driver of composition, distribution and abundance of aquatic life in the river(s). Floodwater temperatures consequently influence dissolved oxygen concentrations and rates of organic matter decomposition in the floodplain; while subtle variations in horizontal flows to and from the floodplain, drive the exchange of minerals, sediments and information between river and floodplain.

The knowledge accumulated from several decades has informed the contribution of nutrients from the Paraná River to the floodplain, the amount of organic matter produced and its rate of decomposition, and rates of change in species richness of the invertebrate and fish assemblages under varied conditions of hydrology and connectivity. Changes in community species richness in relation to lateral, and temporal connectivity are analyzed in an application of landscape ecology upon riverine ecosystems (Wiens 2002). and Paraguay Rivers

ABSTRACT:
In this section, the Paraná River has irregular hydrologic regime, with different amplitude, intensity, magnitude, seasonality and recurrence of pulses. In the historical series, extraordinary floods (above 8 m in the Corrientes gauge), had irregular recurrences, some associated with ENSO events. Similarly, in a century-long series, droughts of ten-year durations were registered of which effects have been little studied. The floodplain extends on the right bank and varies between 10 and 40 km wide. Depending on the magnitude of the flood and the topographic position of a certain point on the floodplain, the amplitude of the low and high-water phases is different. This irregularity of the hydrological regime is the main factor affecting the composition, distribution and abundance of aquatic life; although in the floodplain, the high-water temperature influences the dissolved oxygen concentration and the rate of decomposition of organic matter. Small variations in the water level of the river determine horizontal flows to and from the floodplain, with exchanges of water, minerals, sediments and information. The knowledge accumulated from several decades allows us to analyze the contribution of nutrients from the Paraná River to the floodplain, the amount of organic matter produced and its rate of decomposition, the rate of change of the species richness of the invertebrate and fish assemblages in different hydrological conditions in sites with different connectivity. Changes in the species richness of these communities in relation to lateral connectivity, understood as the topographic position of each point in the floodplain, and temporal connectivity (in the sense of Wiens, 2002) are analyzed.

PRESENTER'S BIO:
Alicia Poi is a PhD in Biology at the National University of Cárdoba (Argentina). Her professional work has been shared between teaching as Professor of Limnology at the Universidad National of Northeast and investigator of the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) in the CECOAL (Centro de Ecology Aplicada del Litoral). She has worked in the northeast of Argentina for more than 40 years and has explored both connected and isolated wetlands of the Paraná, Paraguay and Pilcomayo Rivers. She has more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as book chapters and public outreach texts. The academic research are focused on wetland biodiversity and the role of invertebrates in the processing of organic matter. Her current interests are related to biomonitoring in freshwater aquatic ecosystems and the use of invertebrates as indicator of wetland integrity.

Credit Points: 0.06

SYLLABUS/TOPICAL OUTLINE Floodplains near the confluence of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers in South America experience a hydrologic regime with a broad range in amplitude, intensity, seasonality and recurrence of flood and drought pulses. According to historic time series, some extraordinary floods have been associated with ENSO events; while droughts of extreme duration (e.g., 10yrs) have been recorded, but their resulting effects have not been studied in detail. The floodplain at this location, approximately 31 km upstream of Corrientes, Argentina, varies between 10 and 40 km in width; where the hydrological regime is a major driver of composition, distribution and abundance of aquatic life in the river(s). Floodwater temperatures consequently influence dissolved oxygen concentrations and rates of organic matter decomposition in the floodplain; while subtle variations in horizontal flows to and from the floodplain, drive the exchange of minerals, sediments and information between river and floodplain. The knowledge accumulated from several decades has informed the contribution of nutrients from the Paraná River to the floodplain, the amount of organic matter produced and its rate of decomposition, and rates of change in species richness of the invertebrate and fish assemblages under varied conditions of hydrology and connectivity. Changes in community species richness in relation to lateral, and temporal connectivity are analyzed in an application of landscape ecology upon riverine ecosystems (Wiens 2002).

COURSE CONTACT

Louis Mantini
9225 CR 49, Live Oak, FL 32060
lfm@srwmd.org
P: 386.647.3144
F:

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