The acidic waters of Rio Agrio and Lago Caviahue at Volcan Copahue, Argentina

GELLER, W.; BAFFICO, G.; DIAZ, M.; FRIESE, K.; KOSCHORRECK, M.; KRINGEL, R.; PEDROZO, F.; SCHARF, B.; WENDT-POTTHOFF, K.; WOELFL, S.

Lahti, Finlandia

Congreso; XXIX Congreso de la Sociedad Internacional de Limnología (SIL); 2004

International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology

Rio Agrio is an acidic river emerging from a geothermic source at the flank of Copahue volcano in Argentina. The 13-km-long Upper Rio Agrio flows into Lake Caviahue, the outflow of which is the Lower Rio Agrio. The system of river stretches and lakes offers an acidity gradient from pH 0 to neutral conditions. Along this gradient the relation of extreme chemistry and biology is studied with a special focus on micro-biology and epilithic algae. In Lake Caviahue (pH 2) the water chemistry, plankton, sediment microbiology and biogeochemistry were investigated, and a paleolimnological analysis revealed the impact of volcanism.