Water quality and planktonic community of Iracema Beach, Fortaleza/CE

Abstract

Aiming at analyzing the water quality at IracemaBeach, in Fortaleza/CE, as well as characterizing the planktonic community, monthly collections were carried out between February and November 2019, with 100 liters of water being filtered, concentrated to 10 mL and preserved in 4% formalin. In the laboratory, via microscopy, the plankton species were identified and then classified based on references relevant to the subject, as well as consultations with specialists and electronic addresses. Furthermore, data on water temperature, transparency, salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH were obtained in situ. Bimonthly, one liter of water was collected for microbiological analysis, in the laboratory. The parameters analyzed showed good quality water, with 17 phytoplankton species being recorded, distributed among the Classes Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Mediophyceae, Coscinodiscophyceae and Zygnematophyceae. For zooplankton, there were five species included in the Rotifera, Cladocera and Crustacea Classes. Phytoplanktonic species diversity was high, the zooplanktonic was low; very high equability and low species richness in both communities. No species was considered a bioindicator of eutrophication or pollution, and the microbiological analysis showed minimum values of thermotolerant coliforms, and the waters of Iracema Beach can be classified as class one saline, intended for recreation and with a very good quality.