Chapters authored
Freshwater Fish as Sentinel Organisms: From the Molecular to the Population Level, a Review
Part of the book: New Advances and Contributions to Fish Biology
Shallow Lakes of the Mexican Central Plateau: Assessing their Health Condition with Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Sentinel Organisms
In the Mexican Central Plateau (MCP), due to their long history of geologic instability, numerous fluvial systems that were blocked formed extensive shallow lakes. Environmental conditions of this area have favored the agricultural land use and the settlement of great industrial corridors and cities. Human activities in MCP are largely sustained by intense water use that has led to a high deterioration in the water bodies of this area. We analyze the water quality of two selected shallow lakes of the MCP: Yuriria Lake and Xochimilco Lake and early warning biomarkers of native sentinel species of each lake. Both studied lakes are influenced by the input of complex mixtures of pollutants. We assess water quality index and a set of oxidative stress biomarkers in native endemic species of each lake. Results showed that the input of xenobiotics and changes in the periods of dry and rains in the shallow lakes studied provoke a stronger response in sentinel organisms because dilution effects are minimal in a small water column. Furthermore, resuspension of sediments in shallow lakes can release pollutants to the water column that could exert damage to the health condition of the aquatic biota compromising the survival of endemic sensitive species.
Part of the book: Lake Sciences and Climate Change
Chemometric Analysis of Wetlands Remnants of the Former Texcoco Lake: A Multivariate Approach
The former Texcoco Lake (TL) belongs to a closed basin (Basin of México), with a semi-arid climate and soil types Solonchaks and Vertisol, which confer saline and alkaline properties to the waterbodies. Historically, this lake has been facing extraction of salt for agricultural and livestock use. As a result of population growth, the lake has lost more than 95% of its surface; however, currently TL is formed by permanent and temporary shallow wetlands interconnected by the rainy season which are used as buffer zones to avoid possible floods to the City of Mexico and as receptors of wastewater discharges. Due to the above, the former TL has a very diverse mosaic of conditions in the remaining wetlands, therefore their quality assessment comprises a complex task of interpretation and analysis. To perform this, it is important to have a series of indicators and analysis tools that take into account the state of contamination of the waterbodies in different periods of study. Additionally, is imperative to have essential elements of interpretation which allow to combine all the features of analysis in a comprehensive scrutiny of the health status of these water bodies. The purpose of this research is to analyze the quality of water and sediments of the remaining wetlands located in the basin of the former TL through various physicochemical parameters and heavy metals, and using multivariate methods and water and sediment quality indices.
Part of the book: Lake Sciences and Climate Change