Impacts of extreme precipitation events in water quality: a scientometric analysis in global scale

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to evaluate temporal patterns of extreme events related to precipitation on a global scale, identifying their main impacts and if there are climatic zones more susceptible to these phenomena using a scientometric approach. Methods: A systematic review was conducted on scientific papers published between 1991 and July 2020, obtained from the Scopus and Thomson ISI Web of Science databases. Keywords related to precipitation extreme events and their effects on planktonic communities and freshwater ecosystems’ water quality were used in the search. Results: The analysis revealed a significant increase in publications, particularly from 2014 onwards, following the release of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the American Meteorological Society (AMS). These reports highlighted the increasing frequency of these climatic events and their potential for causing damage to humanity. In this review, we focused on extreme weather events related to precipitation such as droughts, rains, and floods. These events, due to their sudden volumetric changes, lead to immediate physical and chemical alterations in the water column. The main impacts of these extreme events on aquatic ecosystems include increased nutrient concentrations (mainly phosphorus and nitrogen), contamination by micropollutants, cyanobacteria blooms, and loss of biodiversity. Conclusions: The scientometric analysis indicates that extreme weather events associated with precipitation have a detrimental effect on water quality and aquatic biodiversity, exacerbating the eutrophication process in freshwater systems.