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; SCHIMMELE, M; TEMPORETTI, P; WENDT-POTTHOFF, K; WOELFL, S

VERH. INTERNAT. VEREIN LIMNOL.

International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology

Lugar: Stuttgard, Alemania; Año: 2006 vol. 29 p. 1583 - 1586

0368-0770

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 microbiology and epilithic algae. In Lake Caviahue (pH 2) the water chemistry, plankton, sediment microbiology and biogeochemistry was investigated, and the impact of volcanism with a paleolimnological analysis.