Limnological characterization of the water, algae and mud resources used in Copahue Thermal Complex (Neuquén, Argentina)

Ximena Flores Melo; I. Nadia de la Rosa; Gustavo Baffico; Pedro Temporetti; María T. Wenzel; Juan Cabrera; Fernando Pedrozo; Mónica Diaz

doi:10.25260/EA.21.31.3.0.1231

Autores/as

Ximena Flores Melo Laboratorio de Oceanografía, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CONICET). Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
I. Nadia de la Rosa Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
Gustavo Baffico Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6178-3542
Pedro Temporetti Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
María T. Wenzel Former professor and researcher at the Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Juan Cabrera Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
Fernando Pedrozo Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
Mónica Diaz Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET. San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.21.31.3.0.1231

Palabras clave:

algas acidófilas, algas termales, barros terapéuticos, aguas termales, ambientes extremos

Resumen

Se realizó la caracterización físico-química de los ambientes extremos (aguas termales y barros) del Complejo Termal Copahue, y se aislaron y cultivaron algas empleadas con propósitos medicinales y terapéuticos. Se analizaron aspectos ecofisiológicos de las especies y sus respuestas fotosintéticas, así como la potencial toxicidad de los barros. En los 15 sitios muestreados (pH: 2.0-6.7, conductividad: 283-3230 µS/cm, temperatura: 22-60 °C) se identificaron 11 especies de cianobacterias de un total de 24 especies algales. La riqueza específica fue baja, con especies representativas de ambientes ácidos: Cyanidium caldarium, Euglena mutabilis, Chlamydomonas acidophila, Achnanthidium minutissimum y Eunotia exigua, y especies cosmopolitas de aguas termales: Mastigocladus laminosus, Leptolyngbia boryana y Phormidium tergestinum. Todas las especies mostraron estar bien adaptadas a bajas intensidades lumínicas (15-55 µmol fotones.m^-2.s^-1) y sus respuestas fotosintéticas resultaron comparables a las de ambientes similares. El pH y la temperatura fueron factores importantes en la distribución de las algas, y la alta relación N:P sugiere que el P es el nutriente limitante del crecimiento algal. Las fracciones que controlaron la disponibilidad de P en los sedimentos fueron las de materia orgánica y de oxihidróxidos de Fe/Al. Los barros terapéuticos mostraron capacidad para precipitar los metales y no serían tóxicos. El Cd y otros metales potencialmente tóxicos estuvieron presentes en muy bajas concentraciones y no representarían un riesgo para uso humano como barros curativos y baños.

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