21/07/2008

Big Wetlands, Big Concerns: conservation and management.

José Galizia Tundisi
International Institute of Ecology
Brazilian Academy of Sciences


Plenary Lecture
Abstract

The abundant water resources of Brazil (14% of the water of Planet Earth) are unevenly distributed and especially in the South East and South, water scarcity and water stress are current concerns for scientists, decision makers and administrators. Water demands are increasing all over Brazil as well as contamination, pollution and eutrophication. Costs of water treatment are increasing due to degradation of natural sources, mainly in urban and metropolitan regions.
Among the many natural resources of Brazil, the wetlands, floodplains, shallow lakes, rivers and creeks in the Amazon Basin, in the Pantanal and in the Paraná river system, are valuable assets because of the high biodiversity, water supply, regulating function of the hydrological and biogeochemical cycles and maintaining the hydrosocial cycle. These are “active centers of evolution” as discussed by Margalef (1983). Therefore, their conservation and management are essential for Brazil’s economy and for the future development of the country. It is necessary to include urgently in all the plans for development, the protection, conservation and management of these wetlands and their fundamental processes. Some examples:
    •    In metropolitan regions, natural wetlands play an important role giving opportunity for the application of ecohydrological principles in these areas, lowering the costs of water treatment and increasing the ecological role of these ecosystems. Artificial constructed wetlands also play an important role in water and wastewater treatment.
    •    New reservoirs in the Amazon region should be constructed with the principle of protecting wetlands, vast inundation areas and maintaining the flood pulse and the hydrosocial cycle. An articulation of ecohydrological with ecotechnological principles for new reservoirs in the Amazon Basin could promote new and innovative perspectives for this watershed and its economic development.

As new perspectives for research, monitoring and conservation of wetlands will be discussed at this conference, it is expected a stimulus on limnological work in Brazil and the promotion of a new generation of scientists in Brazil with a strong interest in basic research, but with the perception of the importance of the use of this research for management and conservation of wetlands and floodplains.
The new initiatives as the Pantanal Center in the Federal University of Mato Grosso should be given full support as they are part of the effort to consolidate the research and management of wetlands in Brazil.