An Integrated Assessment of Groundwater Controls on Streamflow and Ecosystem Functioning in the Guarani Aquifer Outcrop Zone

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TITLE: An Integrated Assessment of Groundwater Controls on Streamflow and Ecosystem Functioning in the Guarani Aquifer Outcrop Zone ABSTRACT: Groundwater–surface water interactions play a fundamental role in sustaining river ecosystems, regulating biogeochemical processes and influencing regional climate processes. However, despite growing interest in hyporheic-zone functioning, interdisciplinary assessments remain scarce in tropical regions. Here, we present a comprehensive, scalable, and interdisciplinary framework to evaluate groundwater controls to streamflow and a key indicator of ecosystem functioning in a representative outcrop area of the Guarani Aquifer System, in São Paulo, Brazil. The approach combines (i) temperature as a natural tracer of groundwater discharge, (ii) physicochemical and nutrient analyses, (iii) macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of ecological condition, and (iv) cotton-strip assays to estimate organic matter decomposition. Two years of quarterly monitoring were conducted across three creek reaches characterized by contrasting degrees of groundwater connectivity. Results revealed that creek reach receiving stronger groundwater inputs exhibited significantly lower thermal variability, distinct nutrients concentrations, greater macroinvertebrate richness and diversity, and enhanced organic matter decomposition rates compared to upstream and downstream reaches. These patterns indicate that groundwater discharge not only sustains streamflow but also regulates relevant biological communities, ecosystem functions and biogeochemical processes. Our findings demonstrate that integrating hydrogeological, ecological, and biogeochemical indicators provide transferable framework for assessing river–aquifer interactions. The proposed approach may be readily adapted to other tropical regions facing increasing pressures from climate variability, land use and land cover change, and rising water demands associated with agricultural expansion and food production. FOLDER STRUCTURE: The dataset is organized into three main folders: 1. Codes - This folder contains the main scripts used in the manuscript, including R and Python code for data processing, statistical analyses, and figure generation. 2. Data_temperature - This folder contains all temperature datasets used in the study, including: Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) measurements; and point temperature sensor observations. 3. Supplementary_material - This folder contains the data and analyses that support the results presented in the manuscript, including: water quality measurements; nutrient analyses; cotton-strip assay data; macroinvertebrate data; and additional supplementary analyses. USAGE NOTE: Users are strongly encouraged to read the accompanying paper "An Integrated Assessment of Groundwater Controls on Streamflow and Ecosystem Functioning in the Guarani Aquifer Outcrop Zone" before using the data. The manuscript provides detailed descriptions of the study design, sampling procedures, analytical methods, quality assurance procedures, and limitations of the dataset. Although every effort has been made to ensure the quality and consistency of the data, users should carefully evaluate whether the dataset is appropriate for their specific application and research objectives. CONTACT: For questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this dataset, please contact: Lead Author: J.G.S.M.Uchôa (gescilam@usp.br) CITATION: If you use this dataset, please cite it as follows: Uchôa, J.G.S.M., Ayllon, J.A.C., Abrahão, D.P., Bertotto, L.E., Alan, R., Cunha, D.G.F., Corbi, J.J., Anache, J.A.A. & Wendland, E.C. An Integrated Assessment of Groundwater Controls on Streamflow and Ecosystem Functioning in the Guarani Aquifer Outcrop Zone (Version 1) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21415765 LICENSE: This dataset is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. You are free to share and adapt the material as long as appropriate credit is given. We recommend checking this repository periodically for updates, corrections, or future releases.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.