Editorial noteF. H. Passig

(1)

11 Braz. J. Biol., 2015, vol. 75, no. 4, suppl. 2, pp. S1

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.7504suppl Editorial Note

Editorial note

F. H. Passig

^a

, E. J. Arantes

^b

, C. R. G. Tavares

^c

, M. V. J. Cutrim

^d

and M. A. S. Rodrigues

^e

a

Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil

b

Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Campo Mourão, PR, Brazil

c

Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM, PR, Brazil

d

Universidade Federal do Maranhão – UFMA, MA, Brazil

e

Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil

Economic and social development depends on the availability of surface water and groundwater resources that are influenced by the demand of society multiplied by several activities and different uses of water resources of river basins.

Management of water resources is therefore an essential component in the economic and social strategic planning of the basin, and the water quality is an important indicator of use and occupation of land conditions and is related to the spatial and dynamic temporal processes occurring in the basin.

Data of the Brazilian National Water Agency indicate that approximately 70% of the rivers belonging to the basins of Brazil are seriously compromised by higher pollution levels. Inadequate occupation and management of soil, disposal of industrial wastes, uncontrolled use of

pesticides and fertilizers, deforestation, mining practices and lack of sewage treatment are affecting the water quality.

Within this context, in this Brazilian Journal of Biology number are presented 17 papers regarding on the integrated analysis of water quality and environmental aspects in urban and rural basins in Brazil, represented by the basins of the rivers Mourão, Pirapó and Paranapanema III and IV (Paraná state), dos Sinos (Rio Grande do Sul state) and Bacanga (Maranhão state).

Editorial noteF. H. Passig

11 Braz. J. Biol., 2015, vol. 75, no. 4, suppl. 2, pp. S1

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.7504suppl Editorial Note

Editorial note

F. H. Passig

, E. J. Arantes

, C. R. G. Tavares

, M. V. J. Cutrim

and M. A. S. Rodrigues

Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil

Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Campo Mourão, PR, Brazil

Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM, PR, Brazil

Universidade Federal do Maranhão – UFMA, MA, Brazil

Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil

Economic and social development depends on the availability of surface water and groundwater resources that are influenced by the demand of society multiplied by several activities and different uses of water resources of river basins.

Management of water resources is therefore an essential component in the economic and social strategic planning of the basin, and the water quality is an important indicator of use and occupation of land conditions and is related to the spatial and dynamic temporal processes occurring in the basin.

Data of the Brazilian National Water Agency indicate that approximately 70% of the rivers belonging to the basins of Brazil are seriously compromised by higher pollution levels. Inadequate occupation and management of soil, disposal of industrial wastes, uncontrolled use of

pesticides and fertilizers, deforestation, mining practices and lack of sewage treatment are affecting the water quality.

The papers in this special number are the result of the Project FINEP (Process number: 01.10.0714-00) Project:

Monitoring of urban and rural watersheds – Integrated

water quality analysis and socio-economy, under the

responsability of the Association International Institute

of Ecology and Environmental Management.