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Spatial and temporal variability of light attenuation in large rivers of the Amazon

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Abstract

The light field and its relationship with biogeochemical variables were investigated in the Solimões, Negro, Amazon, Madeira, Uatumã, Trombetas, and Tapajós Rivers. In high suspended sediment rivers, total suspended matter is the primary control on light attenuation (r = 0.8), with colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) being secondary (r = −0.6) due to scattering and absorption, respectively. Photosynthetically active radiation was the lowest (<100.0 μmol m−2 s−1 at the depth of half Z 1%) and was limited to depths of less than 1.0 m and confined to red light. In low suspended sediment rivers, CDOM is the primary control on light attenuation (r = 0.9). The concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chla) and CDOM cause variations among these rivers. High CDOM rivers, Negro and Uatumã, are depleted (<0.5% of incoming irradiance) of blue and green light at the depth of half Z 1%. The light spectra of low CDOM and higher Chla waters, such as the Tapajós, Uatumã, and Trombetas Rivers at rising water stage, are restricted to green and red wavelengths, and marked by high absorption at 620 and 670 nm, due to the presence of Cyanophyceae.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais-INPE), the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP grant no. 2004/12495-5 and FAPESP grant no. 2004/14086-5 to Costa and Telmer), and the University of Victoria for financial support; Dr. Bernardino Figueiredo for facilitating collaboration with FAPESP, Ricardo Rossin for assistance with analytical geochemistry, and Conrado Rudorff and Dr. Waterloo P. Filho for fieldwork assistance. The authors also thank the anonymous reviewers for the valuable suggestions which significantly improved the scientific quality of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3050, Victoria, BC, Canada

    M. P. F. Costa

  2. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, São Paulo, Brazil

    E. M. L. M. Novo

  3. School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada

    K. H. Telmer

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  1. M. P. F. Costa
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  2. E. M. L. M. Novo
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  3. K. H. Telmer
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Correspondence to M. P. F. Costa.

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Costa, M.P.F., Novo, E.M.L.M. & Telmer, K.H. Spatial and temporal variability of light attenuation in large rivers of the Amazon. Hydrobiologia 702, 171–190 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1319-2

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