Developing a Protocol for the Use of Benthic Invertebrates in São Paulo State’s Reservoirs Biomonitoring. I. Habitat, Sampling Period, Mesh size and Taxonomic Level
KUHLMANN1, M.L.; WATANABE1, H.M.; BRANDIMARTE2, A.L.; ANAYA3, M. & GUERESCHI4, R.M.
1 Setor de Comunidades Aquáticas da Companhia de Tecnologia e Saneamento Ambiental, Av. prof. Frederico Hermann Jr, 345, CEP: 05459-900, São Paulo – SP - Brazil. (monicak@cetesb.sp.gov.br ; helenaw@cetesb.sp.gov.br)
2 Departamento de Ecologia do Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, travessa 14, CEP: 05508-900, São Paulo – SP - Brazil. (manaya@unicid.br)
3 Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, r. Cesário Galeno, 448/475, CEP: 03071-000, São Paulo – SP – Brazil. (manaya@unicid.br)
4
Laboratório de Biologia e Cultivo de Peixes de Água Doce
ABSTRACT: In order to adopt an ecological approach in monitoring programs, the Environmental Agency of São Paulo State (CETESB) has developed studies for the establishment of protocols to standardize the biomonitoring. In this paper, the results of the evaluation of four fundamental items for a protocol of reservoirs’ biomonitoring with benthic invertebrates are presented: habitat (sublittoral and profundal), period of sampling (winter, spring, summer and autumn), mesh size (0.25 and 0.5mm) and identification level of the Chironomidae larvae (subfamilies/tribes and genera). Field sampling took place in 6 reservoirs which comprised a quality gradient. The sublittoral environment proved to be the most adequate for systematic sampling, the profundal being an alternative for places where there was the need for a diagnosis of the sediments quality. The period indicated for the sampling was winter, when generally greater richness occurred. The community selected by a 0.5mm sieve presented enough information for an efficient diagnosis, as well as the identification of members of the Chironomidae to the genera level.
Key-words: biomonitoring, reservoirs, zoobenthos, protocol.