AIM: This study aimed at describing and comparing the kinetics of aerobic and anaerobic decomposition of Eleocharis interstincta, Nymphaea sp. and Montrichardia arborescens; METHODS: The samples of aquatic macrophytes and water were collected in the Cantá Stream (02° 49' 11" N and 60° 40' 24" W), Cantá, Roraima, Brazil. The plant material was dried and triturated and for each experimental condition (aerobic and anaerobic) mineralization chambers were prepared with plant fragments and stream water. The volume of evolved gases in anaerobic mineralization was monitored during 78 days, while the oxygen consumption was measured for 121 days; RESULTS: The results of aerobic and anaerobic decomposition were fitted to first-order kinetics model. The oxygen consumption varied from 195.36 mg g-1 (DM) for E. interstincta to 629.46 mg g-1 (DM) for Nymphaea sp. The deoxygenation rate derived from mineralization of M. arborescens was higher (kD: 0.049 day-1), followed by E. interstincta (kD: 0.038 day-1) and Nymphaea sp. (kD: 0.027 day-1). For the anaerobic condition the evolution of gases presented two phases: the consumption and formation. According to temporal variations of mineralized carbon, the anaerobic decomposition of M. arborescens presents the higher mineralization coefficient (0.0047 day-1); followed by Nymphaea sp. (0.0035 d-1) and E. interstincta (0.0017 day-1); CONCLUSION: Based on these results we conclude that during the aerobic decomposition of these macrophytes, the Nymphaea sp. was responsible for the higher oxygen demand and M. arborescens generated the highest amounts of gases during the anaerobic mineralization. On average, the aerobic decay processes were 11-fold faster than anaerobic. Regarding to the materials fluxes in freshwater ecosystems, low rate of decomposition observed in anaerobic process when comparing to aerobic rates reflect that the sediment represent a very efficient sink of carbon in the organic matter cycling.
Eleocharis interstincta; Nymphaea sp.; Montrichardia arborescens; aerobic and anaerobic process; aquatic macrophytes
