The Mar Chiquita Salt Lake (Córdoba, Argentina)

Enrique H. Bucher The Mar Chiquita Salt Lake (Córdoba, Argentina) Ecology and Conservation of the Largest Salt Lake in South America The Mar Chiquita Salt Lake (Córdoba, Argentina) Enrique H. Bucher The Mar Chiquita Salt Lake (Córdoba, Argentina) Ecology and Conservation of the Largest Salt Lake in South America Enrique H. Bucher IDEA Conicet and Centro de Zoología Aplicada Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba, Argentina ISBN 978-3-030-15811-8 ISBN 978-3-030-15812-5 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15812-5 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland This book is dedicated to the memory of Hermann Frank, Helmuth Kanter, and Hans Seckt, who produced outstanding and pioneering work on the geology, limnology, and geography of Mar Chiquita during the first half of the twentieth century, at a time when this great lake was just a little known place in the center of Argentina. Preface Although the Mar Chiquita Lake is among the largest saline lakes of the world (2000–6000 km2 area), little is known about the wetland outside Argentina, to a large extent due to its geographical isolation and the scarcity of scientific literature published in English, a deficiency that has started to be compensated in the recent years. Mar Chiquita has unique and interesting characteristics. The wetland is located in an area with subhumid climate instead of the arid environment character- istic of most salt lakes, which in turn determine wide variations in water level and salinity that has marked effects on the biota and local human population. With this vision in mind, this book presents a systematization and integration of the knowledge accumulated to date on Mar Chiquita, covering a wide range of fields, including physical, biological, and historical aspects, and also environmental conservation and sustainable issues. The book is addressed to the specialists of the various fields covered, but is designed and written with the aim of making it acces- sible to the general public. Special attention has been given to the interconnection of the information provided in the different chapters, with an emphasis on dynamic and functional aspects. This publication results from the author work at the Mar Chiquita Biological Station in Miramar, Mar Chiquita, a research and environmental education unit created by the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Córdoba, Argentina Enrique H. Bucher vii Acknowledgments The author is grateful to the following institutions and people: Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Córdoba, Argentina, for supporting the publication of a previous version of this book in Spanish; the Academy former president, Alberto Maiztegui, for encouraging efforts to promote research and environmental education in Mar Chiquita; and also the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Affairs and Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Programs for their financial support in research and conservation activities in Mar Chiquita. The author is indebted to his wife Elizabeth, for her permanent and dedicated support during the writing of this book. ix Contents 1 Geographic Overview �� 1 1.1 Introduction �� 1 1.2 Subregions �� 1 1.3 An Always Fluctuating Lake �� 3 1.4 Biodiversity Richness and Conservation �� 4 1.5 Human Presence in the Region: A Historical Review �� 5 1.6 On the Name of Mar Chiquita �� 6 References �� 8 2 Geomorphology �� 9 2.1 Introduction �� 9 2.2 The Drainage Basin �� 9 2.3 The Mar Chiquita Lake �� 11 2.3.1 The Lake Geomorphology �� 11 2.3.2 The Lake Bathymetry and Sediments �� 13 2.3.3 The Lake Geological History �� 15 2.3.4 Mar Chiquita Paleoclimates �� 16 2.4 Tributary Rivers and Their Recent Course Changes �� 16 2.5 Salt Dust Storms over Mar Chiquita �� 19 References �� 21 3 Hydrology and Climate �� 25 3.1 Introduction �� 25 3.2 Climate �� 25 3.2.1 The Climate in the Mar Chiquita Area �� 28 3.2.2 The Influence of the Mar Chiquita Wetland on the Local Climate �� 28 3.3 Hydrology �� 29 3.3.1 The Drainage Basin �� 29 3.3.2 The Rivers �� 30 3.3.3 The Lake �� 31 xi xii Contents 3.3.4 The Dulce River Wetland �� 34 3.3.5 Hydrological Models �� 34 References �� 37 4 Limnology �� 39 4.1 Introduction �� 39 4.2 Physical Limnology �� 39 4.3 Chemical Limnology �� 42 4.3.1 Water �� 42 4.3.2 Sediments �� 44 4.4 Biological Limnology �� 45 4.4.1 Lowstand Period �� 45 4.4.2 Highstand Period �� 46 4.5 Comments �� 49 4.5.1 Trophic Condition �� 49 4.5.2 Black Mud Generation in the Lowstand Periods �� 49 4.5.3 The Role of Top Predators in Controlling Phytoplankton Density �� 50 Appendix 4.1 �� 51 References �� 55 5 Fish �� 57 5.1 Introduction �� 57 5.2 Mar Chiquita Lake �� 59 5.3 Dulce River Wetland �� 59 5.3.1 Habitat Diversity and Species Communities �� 60 5.3.2 Factors Influencing Species Diversity

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