Some limnological features of three lakes from Mexican neotropics

A limnological survey was conducted in three water bodies from the tropical rain forest region of southeast Veracruz, Mexico, in order torecognize their morphometric characteristics and to define their mixing patterns. These were: a temporary pond, Laguna del Zacatal (A = 7.64 ha, z{sub}m = 13.0 m); and two permanent lakes, Laguna Escondida (A = 18.26 ha, z{sub}m{end} = 32.5 m) and Lago de Catemaco (A = 7254 ha, z{sub}m{end} = 22.0 m). Both El Zacatal and La Escondida are warmmonomictic, whereas Lago de Catemaco is polymictic. Our results support the hypothesis that most tropical lakes are prone to winter overturn. Dissolved oxygen showed large variation, from almost constant epilimnetic saturation in all three lakes to hypolimetic anoxia in Laguna Escondida. Differences in mixing betwden lakes are determined by the joint influence of morphometry, rainfall and wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]