CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Bahía Blanca Estuary wetlands, located in the northern limits of Patagonia (Argentina), are very important from biological and chemical points of view. Studies on these marshes are being carried out since 2000, due to the expansion of surface covered by Spartina alterniflora. The objective of this work was to explore the role of this species in copper accumulation. Information about biological and physicochemical parameters from two sites of the estuary (Villa del Mar -A- and Puerto Galvan -B- ) was considered. At site A, belowground biomass was in the range of 337 and 737 g m-2, with the highest value in April (fall season), when redox potential (Eh) was extremely reducing (-262 mV) and pH decreased to 6.9. At site B, in the sediments associated to the underground tissues, Cu concentrations showed levels from 12.95 to 18.15 µg g-1, being lower than in Spartina tissues in summer and fall, when an increase was observed. Besides, it was found that Cu concentrations in belowground tissues were always greater (3.96 to 35.6 µg g-1) than in aerial ones (1.44 to 24.52 µg g-1). All these tendencies were also observed in other studies in the inner zone of the estuary as well as in another work at site A. The results, obtained from two areas, suggest that the great belowground biomass of S. alterniflora might strengthen the copper accumulation (and so, immobilize and store it in roots), particularly during the fall season. Besides, Eh and pH of the sediments can also account for the Cu content differences, considering that recorded values were adequate to retain non-available metals in sediments. More studies to support this trend are needed.

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