First record of the invasive algae Didymosphenia geminata in the Lake Nahuel Huapi: Argentina, Patagonia

GUADALUPE BEAMUD, GUSTAVO BAFFICO, FERNANDO PEDROZO AND MÓNICA DIAZ

REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL

SOC BIOLGIA CHILE

Lugar: Santiago de Chile; Año: 2013 vol. 86 p. 493 - 493

0716-078X

The benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) M. Schmidt is a very aggressive invasive species that forms conspicuous blooms in oligotrophic aquatic systems. The first blooms of D. geminata in South America were found in May of 2010 in a river in Chile, and consequently in August 2010 were detected in rivers in Argentina. Our aim was to publish the first record for a lentic waterbody in the Andean Patagonia region since the appearance of D. geminata in the Lake Nahuel Huapi during the austral summer of 2013. The morphology of the cells of D. geminata found was consistent with that described by other authors. The chemical and physical characteristics of the lake are coincident with those of other rivers and streams were this species was also detected. Our identification in the Lake Nahuel Huapi is the first confirmation of D. geminata blooms for a South American lake.