Laguna del Diamante (Catamarca Province)
| Laguna del Diamante | ||
|---|---|---|
| Geographical location | Catamarca , Argentina | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 26 ° 2 ′ 24 ″ S , 67 ° 3 ′ 0 ″ W | |
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| Altitude above sea level | 4600 m | |
| PH value | 11 | |
The Laguna del Diamante is a lake in the Argentine province of Catamarca .
location
The Laguna del Diamante is located on the Puna high plateau in northwest Argentina. The region is only very sparsely populated due to its altitude and hardly any infrastructure. The Laguna del Diamante is part of the Laguna Blanca Biosphere Reserve and is located in Cerro Galán , one of the largest calderas in the world.
properties
Due to the geographic height of the lake, the ultraviolet radiation is 40% more intense than in the lowlands. In addition, the pH of the lake with pH 11 is clearly in the alkaline range . Measurements showed high concentrations of arsenic and salt in the Laguna del Diamante. The measured salt concentration exceeds the salt concentration in sea water by five times, the arsenic content exceeds the values permissible for drinking water by 20,000 times. So far unidentified microbes and minerals have been found in the lake. Flamingos live on the shore and are resistant to these influences.
Biota
Although the lake shows the hostile conditions described, there are life forms that have adapted to them. This fact is of great scientific interest, since the conditions in the lake show parallels to the living conditions that prevailed during the development of life on earth. Therefore, scientists hope to find out about the first life forms on earth.
Microorganisms
The lake is home to microbes , algae and bacteria that can cope with the difficult conditions. Mainly microorganisms from the archaea domain were identified, as well as some bacteria. Almost 20 different genera of the Haloarchaea , as well as several anaerobic bacteria, including from the class of Clostridia , were identified explicitly . Researchers found them on stones in the Laguna del Diamante, on which so-called microbial mats, multi-layered structures made of microorganisms, had formed. For the genetic characterization of the microorganisms, biologists work on the sequencing of the bacterial genomes. In this way, plasmids and enzymes of the microorganisms that could possibly be used in biotechnology can be isolated. Among other things, the scientists hope that by examining the microorganisms, they will discover new antioxidants and compounds that are able to filter ultraviolet radiation.
fauna
Flamingos visit the lake regularly to feed on the microorganisms there.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Line: Laguna Diamante (404979163). Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
- ↑ JEFATURA DE GABINETE DE MINISTROS. Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
- ↑ Description and pictures on destonoinfinito.com
- ^ Ana Belluscio: Hostile volcanic lake teems with life . In: Nature . April 2, 2010, ISSN 0028-0836 , doi : 10.1038 / news.2010.161 ( nature.com [accessed September 1, 2019]).
- ↑ Nicolás Rascovan, Javier Maldonado, Martín P Vazquez, María Eugenia Farías: Metagenomic study of red biofilms from Diamante Lake reveals ancient arsenic bioenergetics in haloarchaea . In: The ISME Journal. No. 10 , 2016, p. 299 .