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Sediment characteristics of tropical, karst lakes and their relationship with watershed topography, lake morphometry, and human activities

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Abstract

We analyzed multiple variables in recent sediments from 18 tropical, karst lakes in “Lagunas de Montebello” National Park, a Mexican Protected Natural Area and Ramsar site, to explore relationships between sediment characteristics and lake attributes: topography/location (mountain, surface-water-dominated vs. plateau, groundwater-dominated), morphometry (shallow vs. deep), and human activities (urbanization/agriculture). The study lakes fell into two groups: (1) pristine, oligotrophic, mostly located in the SE mountain terrain, and (2) impacted, eutrophic, in the NW plateau region. Sediment samples were collected from the central, deepest zone of each lake and analyzed for texture (grain size), carbonate content, and organic C and N. Water variables were measured in the water column overlying the sediment collection sites. Specific conductance, chlorophyll a, and total particulate carbon were higher in impacted, eutrophic plateau lakes than in pristine mountain lakes. Sediments, although composed mostly of silts, differed in grain size. Pristine, oligotrophic mountain lakes possessed coarser sediments, with a higher concentration of most likely recalcitrant organic carbon, than impacted, eutrophic plateau lakes. Topography/location is the primary factor that contributes to sediment differences, whereas eutrophication, caused by deforestation and agricultural runoff, is the second most important agent modifying sediment characteristics. The only pristine plateau lake, San José, had water quality similar to pristine mountain lakes, but finer sediments with lower organic C, N, and C/N. Comparison of San José sediments with those of impacted eutrophic plateau lakes indicated eutrophication has led to coarser sediments, as well as enrichment in CO3, organic C and N. Eutrophication-related sediment characteristics are valuable variables that can be used in paleolimnological studies to identify the onset of lake eutrophication in tropical karst water bodies.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Fondo Sectorial de Investigación y Desarrollo Sobre el Agua (Sectorial Fund for Water Research and Development) (CONAGUA-CONACYT) through the project 167603 Estudio Hidrológico y de Calidad del Agua del Sistema Lagunar de Montebello, en el Estado de Chiapas and by Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico (UNAM-DGAPA-PAPIIT) through the projects IN219215 Factores que Determinan el Estado Trófico de los Lagos de Montebello, Chiapas and and IV200319 Área Experimental de Lagos Tropicales. We thank René Morales Hernández for support during the fieldwork. We also thank the Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) the local community, and the Comisariados Ejidales from Antelá, Cárdenas, Miguel Hidalgo, Ojo de Agua and Tziscao for facilitating access to the lakes. We also thank the Comité de Administración de Tziscao, and personnel of the Villas Tziscao Hotel for offering their support and facilities for this study. We thank Mariana Sánchez Vargas for creating the charts in Figs. 1, 2 and 9.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación en Limnología Tropical, FES Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Mexico

    Javier Alcocer & Luis A. Oseguera

  2. Instituto de Geología, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Blanca Prado & Lucy Mora

  3. Instituto de Geofísica, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Margarita Caballero

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  1. Javier Alcocer
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  2. Blanca Prado
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  4. Luis A. Oseguera
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Correspondence to Javier Alcocer.

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Alcocer, J., Prado, B., Mora, L. et al. Sediment characteristics of tropical, karst lakes and their relationship with watershed topography, lake morphometry, and human activities. J Paleolimnol 66, 333–353 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-021-00210-z

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