The effect of climate change on the shallow lakes in “Pampa Argentina”: Las Encadenadas del Oeste.

GERALDI, A. M.; PICCOLO M. C.; PERILLO, G. M. E.

Torres Brazil

Otro; Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) 10 Meeting; 2010

Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) 10 Meeting

The shallow lake “Las Encadenadas del Oeste”, translates into “the western chain lagoons” because of the way they are linked together through channels and streams. Las Encadenadas del Oeste consists of 6 lagoons (Epecuén, Venado, Del Monte, Cochicó, Alsina and Inchauspe) of various depths and sizes, and it is a closed river basin system lined up in an east‐west direction. The climate in the study area is warm transitional with two special features. First, there are well defined seasons with high thermal amplitudes. Second, there are periods of alternate floods and droughts. The whole Pampa region is famous for its alternate humid and dry periods, which is seen in the variation of rainfall and temperature in the region. The shallow lakes are polymictic, with no thermal stratification. The temperature variation is very important and it is crucial in the physical, chemical and biological behavior of shallow lakes. The interaction process air‐water in the region affects the water temperature strongly. The month of March in these shallow lakes is important because the wind is less intense and thus the mixture of water decreases. The water columns are very stable. The thermal pollution process of water bodies, that had started in the months of January and February is higher. Consequently, there is a significant reduction in the solubility of dissolved oxygen.