Synchrony among limnological variables in a lotic system (Meia Ponte River, Goiás, Brazil)

Abstract

Aim: Recently, the homogeneity of spatial and temporal variations of ecosystem componentshas been assessed by synchrony. The present study aimed to assess the robustness and consistency of the changes in limnological variables along the lotic system, testing the spatial and inter-annual synchrony; Methods: The present study analyzed the synchrony of limnological variables recorded at nine sites in the Meia Ponte River in central Brazil, during a six-year period. Spatial synchrony was analyzed by Mantel test between the spatial matrix and the environmental variables correlation between points through the years. The inter-annual synchrony was tested by Procrustean analysis between the ordination produced for each year of study; Results: The different points analyzed were moderately coherent for some parameters (air temperature, color, chloride) and strongly coherent for others (water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen concentration, Iron, pH, turbidity). However, there was not inter-annual pattern; Conclusions: This suggests that the climate conditions or even the human actions in this ecosystem influenced it in different ways in each year studied. The biological variables exhibited a more weak spatial synchrony than chemical variables.