1001

...of the Mundau-Manguaba Lagoon, the Paraiba do Sul River and Adjacent Coastal Waters off NE and SE Brazil

Brazilian water bodies, as many other aquatic systems in tropical and subtropical regions, are often influenced by anthropogenic input from e.g. industrial or municipal sewage, agriculture etc. The impact of sugar cane monoculture on these aquatic ecosystems is largely unknown.

Highly increased riverine nitrogen loads resulting from fertilizer use in agriculture can be a major problem for the aquatic ecosystem. Normally, nitrogen is an essential resource in aquatic systems but in high concentrations it can also be a pollutant that causes sustained damage to the ecosystem. Bound in organic matter, nitrogen can operate as a carrier for other pollutants like heavy metals or pesticides.

As the project's name implies, its aim is to assess the impact of nitrogen effluents from sugar cane monoculture and their effects on the water quality and the productivity of the Mundau-Manguaba lagoon, Paraiba do Sul River and adjacent coastal waters. Specifically, the project will investigate the transformation, transport and fate of the nitrogen input originating from sugar cane monoculture.