Abstract

GUEVARA MORA, Meyer. Insectos acuáticos y calidad del agua en la cuenca y embalse del río Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2011, vol.59, n.2, pp.635-654. ISSN 0034-7744.

Aquatic insects and water quality in Peñas Blancas watershed and reservoir. The aquatic insects have been used to evaluate water quality of aquatic environments. The population of aquatic insects and the water quality of the area were characterized according to the natural and human alterations present in the study site. During the monthly-survey, pH, DO, temperature, water level, DBO, PO₄ and NO₃ were measured. Biological indexes (abundance, species richness and the BMWP-CR) were used to evaluate the water quality. No relation between environmental and aquatic insects was detected. Temporal and spatial differences attributed to the flow events (temporal) and the presence of Peñas Blancas reservoir (spatial). In the future, the investigations in Peñas Blancas watershed need to be focused on determining the real influence of the flows, sediment release and the possible water quality degradation because of agriculture activities. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2): 635-654. Epub 2011 June 01.

Keywords : water quality; BMWP-CR; aquatic insects; Peñas Blancas river; flow events; dams.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )