Spatial variability of water chemistry in the Ayeyarwady River Basin, Myanmar

An V. Vu; John C. Conallin; Lauren J. Stoot; Gregory S. Doran; Lee J. Baumgartner; Katherine E. Doyle; Nathan Ning; Zau Lunn; Nyein Chan; Nyi Nyi Tun; Aye Myint Swe; Bronwyn M. Gillanders

doi:10.1071/PC24102

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Next Contents Vol 31(2)

Spatial variability of water chemistry in the Ayeyarwady River Basin, Myanmar

An V. Vu

^A ^B ^* , John C. Conallin ^A , Lauren J. Stoot ^A ^C , Gregory S. Doran ^C , Lee J. Baumgartner ^A ^B , Katherine E. Doyle ^A ^B , Nathan Ning ^A , Zau Lunn ^D , Nyein Chan ^E , Nyi Nyi Tun ^F , Aye Myint Swe ^G and Bronwyn M. Gillanders ^H

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Inland Fisheries Research Group, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.

^B Next Generation Water Engineering and River Management Hub, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.

^C School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

^D Marine Science Association Myanmar, No. 69, Room 002, Mingalar Thu Kha Street, 5 Ward, Kamayut Township, Yangon, Myanmar.

^E Fauna and Flora International, Room 706, Myay Nu Condo, Myay Nu Street, San Chaung Township, Yangon 11111, Myanmar.

^F Department of Fisheries, Office No. 36, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

^G Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department, 15 Zeya Htani Road, Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

^H Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories and the Environment Institute, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: vvu@csu.edu.au, anria2@yahoo.com

Handling Editor: Mike Calver

Pacific Conservation Biology 31, PC24102 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC24102

Submitted: 28 December 2024 Accepted: 4 March 2025 Published: 18 March 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Understanding chemical properties and biogeochemical changes can help us answer difficult ecological questions. Water chemistry is often dynamic in large tropical rivers, particularly in deltas where sea tides and river hydrological regimes are extremely influential.

Aims

This study assessed the spatial variability of water chemistry by measuring the elemental concentrations of seven trace elements and strontium isotopes (⁸⁷Sr:⁸⁶Sr) in the Ayeyarwady River Basin in Myanmar.

Methods

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to quantify concentrations of trace elements and strontium isotopes at 50 sampling sites, covering 1700 km of the Ayeyarwady River. Data was grouped into regions for statistical analyses.

Key results

Three elements (Sr, Ca, and Mg) showed distinct longitudinal concentration profiles, which were higher at the coast but consistently lower in freshwater. For example, elemental concentrations at coastal areas were 22-, 63-, and 150-times higher than in freshwater further upstream for Ca, Sr, and Mg, respectively. Although, longitudinal concentration profiles of ⁸⁷Sr:⁸⁶Sr ratios varied along the Ayeyarwady River, they were not significantly different among regions.

Conclusions

Longitudinal profiles of dissolved elements varied significantly. In particular, three elements (Sr, Ca, and Mg) are good indicators to differentiate between marine and freshwater in the Ayeyarwady River.

Implications

Our findings provide important baseline information on water chemistry for future fish otolith (inner ear of bony fish) chemistry studies to track fish migrations in the basin.

Keywords: Ayeyarwady River, chemistry, Chindwin River, fish migration, microchemistry, strontium isotopes, trace element, variation.

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