Influências antrópicas na dinâmica de macrófitas aquáticas: da invasão biológica aos padrões de ocorrência em reservatórios.

Abstract

The Anthropocene is an era of unprecedented ecosystem transformations, with freshwater aquatic environments facing increasing pressures such as pollution, climate change, habitat fragmentation, and biological invasions. Aquatic macrophytes, which are fundamental to the structure of these ecosystems, are sensitive to these changes, serving as important bioindicators and conservation targets. The distribution of organisms is largely influenced by physicochemical environmental factors, but anthropogenic disturbances—such as eutrophication, hydrological changes, and the introduction of invasive species, such as Urochloa arrecta—intensify the vulnerability of these ecosystems, promoting biotic homogenization. Understanding the interaction between these pressures and the dynamics of macrophyte communities is crucial to predicting their responses to environmental disturbances. Tools such as remote sensing and geoprocessing are valuable for monitoring impacts and mapping the distribution of invasive species on a large scale, aiding in management and conservation. This thesis aims to investigate how environmental changes influence the composition and dynamics of aquatic macrophyte communities, focusing on the interaction between anthropogenic pressures and biological invasions. The physicochemical factors and regional impacts associated with the abundance of the exotic macrophyte Urochloa arrecta in tropical ecosystems were analyzed. The study explored how changes in land use affect the diversity and functional composition of these communities over time. By integrating these approaches, the aim was to deepen the understanding of the processes that shape macrophyte communities in impacted environments, contributing to effective conservation and management strategies that promote the resilience and sustainability of tropical aquatic ecosystems.