Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 2014, vol. 26, no. 1, p. 73-88 http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S2179-975X2014000100009 Environmental gradient in reservoirs of the medium and low Tietê River: limnological differences through the habitat sequence Gradiente ambiental em reservatórios do médio e baixo Rio Tietê: diferenças limnológicas ao longo da seqüência de habitats Welber Senteio Smith1,2, Evaldo Luis Gaeta Espíndola3 and Odete Rocha4 1Programa de Mestrado em Processos Tecnológicos e Ambientais, Universidade de Sorocaba – UNISO, Rodovia Raposo Tavares, km 92,5, CEP 18023-000, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil e-mail:
[email protected] 2Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional, Universidade Paulista, Av. Independência, 210, CEP: 18087-101, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil 3Centro de Recursos Hídricos e Ecologia Aplicada, Universidade de São Paulo – USP, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, CEP 13566-590, São Carlos, SP, Brazil e-mail:
[email protected] 4Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Carlos –UFSCar, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235 - SP 310 , CEP 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil e-mail:
[email protected] Abstract: Aim: The reservoirs of the medium and low Tietê River are disposed as a “cascade series”, in which time, physiographic features and influence from drainage basins present differences that determine variability in their dynamics. These reservoirs are submitted to different impacts from the urban centres which they drain, and also from agricultural activities.Considering these features, the aim of this work was to characterize the Medium and Low Tietê river stretches by limnological analysis (including water and sediments) considering dry and rainy seasons evaluating changes along the reservoirs sequence.