AQUATIC MACROPHYTES AND THE WATER QUALITY OF A RIVER IN PIAUI SEMI-ARID

Abstract

The aim of this article was to verify the presence of macrophytes at Guaribas River in the urban area of the Piaui semi-arid and quantify the physical-chemical and microbiological parameters of the water. To recognize the plant species, expeditions with observation, collection and georeferencing were carried out from March 2013 to January 2014. Five species of macrophytes belonging to 5 botanical families were collected: Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (Pontederiaceae), Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae), Salvinia auriculata Aubl. (Salviniaceae), Neptunia plena (L.) Benth and Ludwigia helminthorrhiza (Mart.) H. Hara (Onagraceae). Regarding the analyzed water parameters, the values of aluminum, alkalinity, hardness and pH were higher for the area located after the passage of the river through the center of the city. However, future studies focus on abiotic factors relating them directly to the excessively proliferated macrophytes in the region are necessary to understand the process of colonization of these species.