title: Integrated approach to the understanding of the degradation of an urban river: local perceptions, environmental parameters and geoprocessing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of interdisciplinary approaches such as the proposed report provides a broad understanding of the relationship between people and the environment, revealing reliable aspects not previously considered in the study of this relationship. This study compiled evidence on the environmental degradation of an urbanized river over the past few decades, providing a diagnosis of the consequences of this process for the river, its ichthyofauna, and the local human population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was focused on the Beira Rio community on the Capibaribe River in the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata, Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected using geoprocessing and ethnobiological approaches, as well as environmental parameters. This research was conducted with the most experienced long-term residents in the local community, through interviews and participatory methodologies to recovering information about the river environment, its ichthyofauna and its environmental services for the last decades.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the GIS analysis, the study area was subject to an accelerated process of urbanization, with the total urban area increasing from 73 565, 98 m(2) in 1974 to 383 363, 6 m(2) in 2005. The informants perceived the urban growth, especially in the late twentieth century, being this period recognized as the phase of greatest negative changes in the river environment. The perceived decline of fish stocks was indicated by the community as one of the effects of river degradation. According to the interviews, the deterioration of the river affected the ecosystem services and the relationship of the adjacent human community with this ecosystem. The environmental data indicated that the river is suffering eutrophization and has fecal coliform concentrations 160 times higher than the maximum level permitted by Brazilian legislation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interdisciplinary approach used in this research allowed the understanding of the degradation process of an urban river and some negative effects through the integration of environmental data, GIS and the local knowledge, revealing the complementarity of obtained data and the effectiveness of implementation of this approach.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Ethnobiology and Conservation of Nature, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. carol.collier@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Carolina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Ethnobiology and Conservation of Nature, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. almeidaneto.ms@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Miguel S de
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Almeida Neto
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Development and Environment, Centre of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 50740-530, Recife, Brazil. gabiaretakis@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gabriela M A
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aretakis
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation in Ecology, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. rangel_es@msn.com.
authors.forename: Rangel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Development and Environment, Centre of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 50740-530, Recife, Brazil. thdoliveira50@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tiago H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Ethnobiology and Conservation of Nature, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. tramataia@gmail.com.|Department of Biology, State University of Paraíba, P.O. Box 58000-000, Campina Grande, Brazil. tramataia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: José S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. wseveri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Severi
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduation Program of Ethnobiology and Conservation of Nature, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. anacarlaeldeir@gmail.com.|Post-Graduation in Ecology, Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. anacarlaeldeir@gmail.com.|Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, P.O. Box 52171-900, Recife, Brazil. anacarlaeldeir@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana C A
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: El-Deir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005399:Fishes; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D058025:Interdisciplinary Studies; D019359:Knowledge; D045483:Rivers; D014507:Urbanization; D014876:Water Pollution