Water chemistry variation in tropical high‐mountain lakes on old volcanic bedrocks

Water chemistry and its ecological implications have been extensively investigated in temperate high-mountain lakes because of their role as sentinels global change. However, few studies considered the drivers water tropical mountain underlain by volcanic bedrock. A survey 165 páramo Cajas Massif Southern Ecuador Andes identified 4 independent chemical variation gradients, primarily characterized divalent cations (hardness), organic carbon, silica, iron levels. Hardness silica factors showed contrasting relationships with parent rock type age, vegetation, aquatic ecosystems watershed, lake watershed size. Geochemical considerations suggest that (and related alkalinity, conductivity, pH) mainly respond to cumulative partial dissolution primary aluminosilicates distributed throughout subsurface watersheds, monovalent are associated congruent large amounts secondary localized former hydrothermal or tectonic spots. Dissolved carbon was much higher than lakes, causing extra acidity water. The smaller likelihood elevated metals low hardness. wetland cover favored metal levels but not carbon. Phosphorus, positively, nitrate, negatively, weakly correlated gradient, indicating common influence in-lake processes. Overall, study revealed relatively small districts on basins can show equivalent ranges a combination plutonic, metamorphic, carbonate areas.