The influence of hydrological variables on river biofilms: a review of relationships and environmental implications

Lima, Bárbara Alves de; Modkovski, Tatiani Andressa; Chaves, Juliane Ribeiro das; Peixoto, Luis Otavio Miranda; Medeiros, Samanta Teixeira; Baer, Gabriel Helmer; Fernandes, Cristóvão Vicente Scapulatempo; Azevedo, Júlio César Rodrigues de

doi:10.1590/2318-0331.302520240083

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Scientific/Technical Article • RBRH 30 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2318-0331.302520240083 linkcopy

The influence of hydrological variables on river biofilms: a review of relationships and environmental implications

A influência das variáveis hidrológicas nos biofilmes de rios: uma revisão das relações e implicações ambientais

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Human actions are caused by multiple ecological stresses that affect native biotas. River biofilms are large aggregates composed of a wide range of organisms. In water resources, biofilms are subject to hydrological variations, which can influence colony processes. This study aimed to verify the state of the art on the relationship between hydrological variables and natural river biofilms, through a literature review. The results show that the most recurrent hydrological variable in studies was discharge/fluxes, while for biofilms, biomass formation was the most frequent variable. Because they represent a portion of the beginning of the trophic chain, there is an urgent need to verify the synergistic effects to which biofilms are subjected in natural environments. It is expected that this review will show the approaches used to understand these relationships, and also expand the current research scenario, to elucidate gaps to be filled.

Keywords:
Flow; Water level; Environmental monitoring; Biofilm; Biomass

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