INVESTIGADORES
MODENUTTI Beatriz Estela
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Environmental changes affecting light climate in Andean Patagonian mountain lakes: implications for the plankton community.
Autor/es:
B. MODENUTTI,; E. BALSEIRO,; BASTIDAS NAVARRO, M.,; M. S. SOUZA,; C. LASPOUMADERES,; F. CUASSOLO,
Lugar:
Perth
Reunión:
Congreso; Global Change and the World?s Mountains; 2010
Institución organizadora:
MRI
Resumen:
In North-Patagonian Andean lakes (both
alpine and deep subalpine) the very low concentrations of DOC lead to high UV
exposure levels. In these lakes, the thermal structure, together with the low
nutrient concentrations and the high UV transparency exert a strong effect on
the composition and function of plankton communities. Here we analysed a
dataset of lakes from the Patagonian Andes located between 750 m and 1700 m a.s.l. discussing the
changes in their optical characteristics and the effect on plankton communities.
Stratification depth can alter the light supply to phototrophic plankton since
the deepening of termocline, which increases thickness of the mixing layer, can
drag down planktonic organisms to low light level. Variations in glacial melt
can also alter the plankton distribution in particular the deep chlorophyll
maxima. Temperature is expected to increase in alpine areas in the next years,
thus alpine lakes from the region (> 1600 m a.s.l.) will change physical structure
with co-occurring modification in the surrounding vegetation. These changes may
occur in a scenario were anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen was not recorded,
therefore increase in carbon:nutrient ratios may be enhanced in the
region.