THE CHIRONOMIDS (DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE) OF SHALLOW LAKES OF THE HUMID PAMPA REGION, ARGENTINA: AN APPROACH TO PALEOPRODUCTIVITY RECONSTRUCTION

• DOI: 10.2110/palo.2019.071
• Publication Date: 2020-04-30T17:49:35Z
• Authors: FERNANDA MONTES D...; MARCELA S. TONELLO; JULIETA MASSAFERRO; M. SOFIA PLASTANI; CECILIA LAPRIDA
• Keywords: Lake ecosystem

ABSTRACT The Humid Pampa, center-east of Argentina, is the most important socio-economical area country. Several shallow lakes have been focus many studies due to significant changes in their trophic status related human activities and global warming recorded since beginning twentieth century. Although chironomids used extensively paleoclimatic paleoenvironmental research, they are rarely for reconstructions Pampean lakes. aim this paper contribute knowledge chironmids' community composition distribution Pampa region, relate selected climatic limnological variables. ultimate goal retrieve new ecological information future paleoclimate by using chironomid-based inference models. In study, head capsules were collected from surface sediments 17 Pampa. Our analyses indicate that chironomid assemblages reflect decreasing NE-SW rainfall gradient region as well land use intensity, which turn affects aquatic ecosystems, terms lake productivity. Some associated with brackish conditions (e.g., Chironomus, Ablabesmyia, Tanytarsini D2). Additionally occurrence detritivore taxa such Goeldochironomus, Polypedilum, Dicrotendipes natural eutrophic state lakes, whereas mostly dominated Coelotanypus, Procladius, Chironomus indicative hypertrophic conditions, usually result activity. This first study central temperate plains our records extend Diptera areas. more necessary fully understand main factors determining fauna we conclude potentially good proxies paleoproductivity salinity