masterThesis
Protozoários de vida livre em dois trechos da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Pirangi (RN): relações com a educação em ciências e preservação
Date
2013-03-07Registration in:
LOBATO JÚNIOR, Wellington Sena. Protozoários de vida livre em dois trechos da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Pirangi (RN): relações com a educação em ciências e preservação. 2013. 68 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Meio Ambiente, Cultura e Desenvolvimento) - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2013.
Author
Lobato Júnior, Wellington Sena
Institutions
Abstract
The vast hidric wealth of Brazil gets its watersheds more susceptible to impacts that
compromise the water quality, affecting the ecosystem stability of aquatic environments. The
decrease in the quality of water resources also results in a decrease of its multiple uses,
especially in tourist areas of the coast, where the continuous flow of people to these sites
increases even further the probability of inappropriate behavior of both tourists and local
residents. Studies regarding the microbiological communities are still scarce, especially on the
free-living protozoa that play unique roles in the food chain of aquatic ecosystems. Due to the
large role played by this group of microorganisms in aquatic environments, the present study
aimed at identifying the genus and species of free-living protozoa present in two sections of
the Pium River, east coast of Rio Grande do Norte, making an association between the its
occurrence and trophic conditions of the environment in which they are, also checking the
bioindicator capacity of these organisms in water quality. It also aimed to conduct a survey
with students to identify the main difficulties regarding the knowledge of free-living protozoa
and hydric transmission diseases in two public schools near the river studied in the Pium
district, county of Parnamirim. The survey was analyzed by means of questionnaires at both
schools. Students identified several activities developed Pium river, highlighting its
multifunctionality and importance to the region. A total of 76 taxa of free-living protozoa was
recorded, of these, 33 were ciliates, 19 flagellates and 24 sarcodia. The spatial and temporal
patterns of these organisms to both points studied revealed the bioindicator potentiality of
some effective species identified. However, knowledge about the free-living protozoa proved
quite lagged, presenting misconceptions that show them as pathogenic organisms exclusively,
totally disregarding their ecological role. In order to remedy the flaws existing in students in
relation to the functional role of protozoa, workshops were planned on these microorganisms
while also addressing issues related to hydric transmission diseases through lectures,
recreational activities and interactive presentations. These practical activities of Science
Education had the goal of bringing students the context of local water resources, aiming to
promote a greater clarification regarding of the functional role of free-living protozoa in
aquatic environments