ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine if there are any differences in the attributes and composition of the phytoplankton and epiphyton communities between organic (OF) and conventional (CF) rice fields. We also strove to identify if there were any variations in these communities by comparing samples taken from two different periods (12 and 35 days) after the application of the herbicide clomazone and penoxsulam in CF. The farms are located in the Pampa Biome, Southern Brazil. Phytoplankton samples from the subsurface water and epiphyton samples from the rice stems were analyzed using the Utermöhl method. The CF and OF had distinct environmental conditions (pH, conductivity, and turbidity values), and the residual concentration of the herbicides decreased over time. There were no significant differences in epiphyton and phytoplankton density, or in phytoplankton richness, between the rice fields; only the epiphyton richness and taxonomic composition showed differences between the rice fields. Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyceae comprised a large proportion of the epiphytic density in CF and OF, respectively. However, Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyceae had greater phytoplankton densities in CF and OF, respectively. The taxonomic composition of communities should be considered an effective tool to show the differences between the two cultivation systems.

Resumo Objetivo: Uma série de represas ao longo do curso de um rio formam o complexo sistema em cascata de reservatórios. A interconectividade dessas represas são percebidas com a redução da turbidez e fósforo e aumento da riqueza de espécie ao longo do sistema. Além disso, cada reservatório possui suas características, bióticas e abióticas, que devem ser avaliadas e utilizadas como instrumento na elaboração de propostas de manejo contínuo das bacias hidrográficas. O rio Jacuí, com cinco represas inseridas ao longo do seu curso superior, é um importante recurso hídrico do estado do RS, explorado para geração de energia e agricultura, no entanto seus efeitos na comunidade fitoplanctônica das represas construídas em cascata ainda é desconhecido. Dessa forma o presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar padrões espaciais e temporais do fitoplâncton associadas às características climatológicas e limnológicas dos reservatórios de água Ernestina e Itaúba, localizados no curso superior do rio Jacuí, RS, Brasil. Métodos Campanhas amostrais foram realizadas sazonalmente de janeiro de 2012 a fevereiro de 2013, com quatro estações amostrais dentro de cada represa e em três diferentes profundidades. As unidades amostrais foram determinadas de acordo com as três zonas do reservatório: zonas de rio, transição e lago. Resultados Foram identificadas 91 espécies fitoplanctônicas em Ernestina e 130 em Itaúba. Não houve diferença significativa entre padrões verticais e horizontais, pois a comunidade respondeu a mudanças sazonais e as características especificas de cada represa. Conclusões A riqueza de espécies e a transparência da água aumentou a jusante do sistema e alterações no tempo de retenção da água foram importantes para densidade e composição de células.

Abstract Aim: A series of dams along the course of a river forms a complex cascading reservoir system. The interconnectivity of the dams is perceived with the reduction of turbidity and phosphorus and the increase of specific richness throughout the system. Designing a management system that promotes the integration of biotic and abiotic data is essential to these resources of recognized importance for the population, the country's power generation and watersheds management. The Jacuí River is an important water resource in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, along its upper course, five water reservoirs comprise a cascade system tapped for energy generation and agriculture, but the effects on the phytoplankton community of cascading dams are still unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton associated with climatological and limnological characteristics of the Ernestina and Itaúba water reservoirs, located in the upper Jacuí River, RS, Brazil. Methods Sampling campaigns were carried out seasonally from January 2012 to February 2013, with four sampling stations within each dam and at three different depths. The sampling units were determined according to the three zones of the reservoir: river areas, transition and lake. Results: A total of 91 phytoplankton species were identified in Ernestina and 130 in Itaúba. There was no significant difference between vertical and horizontal patterns, since the community responded to seasonal changes and the specific characteristics of each dam. Conclusions The specific richness and water transparency increased downstream of the system and changes in water retention time were important for cell density and composition.

Em determinadas áreas de arroz, ocorre o desenvolvimento de algas que, dependendo da quantidade e associadas com presença de residual no solo de herbicidas do grupo das imidazolinonas, afetam o desenvolvimento do arroz na fase inicial. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar manejos da adubação de arroz na composição e estrutura das comunidades de algas e na produtividade de arroz irrigado em áreas com residual de herbicidas do grupo das imidazolinonas. O experimento foi conduzido na safra 2008/09, na Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, onde havia sido aplicado imazethapyr + imazapic na dose de (120+40g i.a. ha-1), na safra 2007/08. Os tratamentos foram compostos por manejos de adubação e duas cultivares de arroz irrigado. A cultivar 'IRGA 417' apresentou maior fitotoxicidade, mas, da mesma forma que os manejos de adubação, esta não interferiu na produtividade de grãos e no desenvolvimento de algas. Os manejos de adubação utilizados e a fitotoxicidade de plantas não influenciam no desenvolvimento de microalgas no fitoplâncton e no perifíton, bem como na produtividade das cultivares de arroz irrigado 'IRGA 422 CL' e 'IRGA 417'.

Several rice producing areas where soil residuals of imidazolinone herbicides are present have shown the development of algae blooms, which, depending on density, may affect rice plant development. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different fertilizer management systems on the composition and structure of algae communities and also on rice yield in irrigated areas with imidazolinone soil residuals. The experiment was carried out in the crop year of 2008/09, at the Federal University of Santa Maria, where a field had been treated with imazethapyr + imazapic (120+40g i.a. ha-1) in the crop year 2 of 2007/08. The treatments included two different fertilizer management systems and two rice cultivars. The 'IRGA 417' showed greater phytotoxicity, but in the same way as the fertilizer managements, it did not affect rice productivity or the development of algae. Thus, the two fertilizer management systems tested and also the phytotoxicity of rice plants did not cause changes on the development of planktonic and periphytic algae, neither did it affect the yield of rice cultivars 'IRGA 422 CL' and 'IRGA 417'.