SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL HETEROGENEITY OF THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICALCONDITIONS OF TWO FLOODPLAIN LAKES IN THE COLOMBIAN AMAZON

In the limnetic region of the Yahuarcaca and Zapatero floodplains lakes, in the Colombian Amazon, monthly measurements were conducted during one year with the goal of evaluating the limnological phases known as high, receding, low, and rising waters for the variables: maximum depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), and pH. Significant differences were found among parameters during the four phases, as follows: during the high water period dissolved oxygen and temperature were lower while transparency was higher. During the rising period at the lake Yahuarcaca, pH and conductivity were lower and a different hydrological dynamic was found in contrast to previous studies. Results also indicated that the two lakes had different limnological characteristics, due to the stronger connectivity of the lake Yahuarcaca with the Amazon river.