Long-term trends in pesticide residues and physical chemical parameters of superficial water samples with accompanying macro-benthic invertebrate community surveys from the Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica: 1993-1994; 2001; 2004-2005; 2009-2011

During the years 1993-1994, 2001, 2003-2005 and 2009-2011, the Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET-UNA) executed independent research projects which quantified the presence of pesticide residues on superficial water samples from the Palo Verde National Park (PVNP) and surrounding areas. The PVNP (5460 sq km) is a RAMSAR wetland of international importance, which has been subjected to pesticide pressure from agricultural fields (mainly rice and sugarcane) since the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, the PVNP wetlands were placed on the RAMSAR Montreux Record, indicating that it was considered an “impaired ecosystem” due to ecotoxicology concerns. Water is the key component of all issues regarding the biodiversity, management, restoration, and economic development of this region. Therefore, water quality is a critical component of many social ecological discussions and research efforts. This data package contains uniform pesticide, biological and water quality data from all PVNP wetland projects (1993- 2011) in order to present long-term trends in the environmental water quality and accompanying biological patterns for this conservation area. Study sites were spatially determined to compare clean upstream waters with a gradient of pesticide-affected waters. Superficial water samples were collected at various sites for chemical (pesticide) analysis and water quality parameters were recorded in situ for environmental monitoring. Corresponding biological sampling was completed to survey benthic macroinvertebrate communities and compare with local eco-toxicological profiles. This data package contains information from four separate projects: