| Resumo: |
An assessment of the environmental quality in western Gulf of Batabanó, southern coast of Pinar del Río province, Cuba and its relationship with the reduction of freshwater supply by rivers is presented. Main characteristics of natural factors are analyzed, such as river supply to the coast, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, nutrients and organic nitrogen coal in sediments. Besides, submarine vegetation and general conditions are also analyzed. River supply of water was estimated in 1860412,24 m3/day, value which is only 20 % of what it used to be, therefore salinity has increased (> 35 ‰).and dissolved oxygen concentrations are lower (2.8-5.5 mg/l). Ammonia concentration are very high (> 50.0 μg/l) as well as higher concentration of organic nitrogen in sediments (0.54 % y 2.85 %). In general the freshwater supply reduction declines the quality of coastal ecosystems.
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