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The Belize River, Belize, Central America Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 8-1980 A Limnological Investigation of a Tropical Fresh-Water Ecosystem: The Belize River, Belize, Central America Victor J. Gonzalez Western Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Recommended Citation Gonzalez, Victor J., "A Limnological Investigation of a Tropical Fresh-Water Ecosystem: The Belize River, Belize, Central America" (1980). Dissertations. 2642. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/2642 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A LIMNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF A TROPICAL FRESH-WATER ECOSYSTEM: THE BELIZE RIVER, BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA by Victor J. Gonzalez A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Science Education Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 1980 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express his sincere appreciation to Drs. Clarence J. Goodnight, George G. Mallinson, Richard W. Pippen, and Dale Warren for their assistance during this project. Sincere thanks also go to Edward Block, Thomas Murphy, and members of the communities of Burrell Boom, Bermudian Landing, Roaring Creek, and Spanish Lookout for their assistance in the collection of data; the Robins and the Reyes families for their encouragement; and the Belize Water & Sewage Authority for their cooperation. Gratitude is extended to The Graduate College of Western Michigan University for the fellowship that made my graduate work possible and for the research grant that helped to finance this project. Special thanks go to the members of my immediate family for their encouragement and understanding over the past few years. Victor J. Gonzalez Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INFORMATION TO USERS This was produced from a copy or a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or “ target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)”. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure you of complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark it is an indication that the film inspector noticed either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, or duplicate copy. Unless v/e meant to delete copyrighted materials that should not have been filmed, you will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., is part of the material being photo­ graphed the photographer has followed a definite method in “sectioning” the material. It is customary to begin filming at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. If necessary, sectioning is continued again—beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. For any illustrations that cannot be reproduced satisfactorily by xerography, photographic prints can be purchased at additional cost and tipped into your xerographic copy. Requests can be made to our Dissertations Customer Services Department. 5. Some pages in any document may have indistinct print. In all cases we have filmed the best available copy. University Microfilms International 300 N. ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, Ml 48106 18 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON WC1R 4EJ, ENGLAND Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 8025554 G o n za lez , V ictor J. Ba lth a za r A LIMNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF A TROPICAL FRESH-WATER ECOSYSTEM: THE BELIZE RIVER, BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA Western Michigan University Ph.D. 1980 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, M I 48106 18 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4EJ, England Copyright 1980 by Gonzalez, Victor J. Balthazar All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................ ii LIST OF TABLES .......................................... V LIST OF F I G U R E S ........................................... vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .................................... 1 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................... 9 Major Reviews on River Ecology ................. 9 Chemical Studies on Belize River ................ 11 Investigations of River Benthos ................ 16 Review of Riparian Planktonic Studies ......... 22 Review of Bacterial Investigations ........... 32 Review of Nektonic Surveys in Central America 36 III. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY .................. 39 D e s i g n ........................................... 39 Methodology ...................................... 44 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................... 55 Chemical Parameter ............................. 55 Benthological Parameter ......................... 80 Planktonic Parameter ........................... 94 Microbiological Parameter ...................... 106 Nektonic Parameter ............................. 112 V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................ 116 iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPENDICES A. DATA FOR PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ALL STATIONS DURING BOTH SEASONS ............. 119 B. DATA FOR INVERTEBRATE ORGANISMS COLLECTED AT EACH STATION DURING BOTH SEASONS ............. 14 5 C. DATA FOR PHYTOPLANKTON COLLECTED AT EACH STATION DURING BOTH SEASONS .................... 159 D. DATA FOR ZOOPLANKTON COLLECTED AT EACH STATION DURING BOTH SEASONS ............................. 177 E. DATA FOR PLATE COUNTS OF TOTAL BACTERIA, TOTAL COLIFORM, AND YEAST/MOLD ...................... 187 F. QUALITATIVE DATA FOR NEKTONIC FAUNA ........... 196 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................. 199 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Belize Municipal Water Supply Systems ......... 6 2. Station Number, Name, and Population Data for Vicinity of Each Station, Based on Census of 1970 ............................................... 42 3. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 1 ............................... 56 4. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 2 ............................... 57 5. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 3 ............................... 58 6. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 4 ............................... 59 7. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 5 ............................... 60 8. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 6 ............................... 61 9. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 7 ............................... 62 10. Comparison of Metal and Cation Levels in Belize River at Station 8 ................. 63 11. Mean Values of Some Physical Factors of Belize River as They Occurred at All Stations During Both Seasons ...................................... 77 12. Percentages of Invertebrate Groups Occurring at Each Station During Dry Season ................. 86 13. Percentages of Invertebrate Groups Occurring at Each Station During Wet Season ................. 91 14. Species Diversity (d) and Equitability (e) of Algae with Summary Data for All Stations During Dry S e a s o n ........................................ 94 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 15. Species Diversity (d) and Equitability (ej of Algae with Summary Data for All Stations During Wet S e a s o n ........................................ 95 16. Percentages of Various Algal Phyla Occurring at Each Station During Dry Season .................. 97 17. Percentages of Various Algal Phyla Occurring at Each Station During Wet Season .................. 99 18. Relative Percentages of Major Zooplankton Groups Occurring at Each Station During Dry Season . .103 19. Relative Percentages of Major Zooplankton Groups Occurring at Each Station During Wet Season . 105 20. Mean Levels of Total Bacteria, Total Coliform, and Yeast/Mold Counts ± One Standard Deviation 107 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Portion of the map of Central America ........ 4 2. The Belize River and its tributaries ........ 8 3. Station numbers and locations along the
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