Coastal subtropical Southern American shallow lakes as unique ecosystems for monitoring anthropogenic induced ecosystem changes
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2026
The South American Coastal Shallow Subtropical Lakes (SA-CSSL) represent the largest continuous coastal shallow-lake system of its kind globally — a 1,000 km belt of over 100 wind-exposed polymictic lakes and lagoons - mostly freshwater due to high precipitation, groundwater inputs and large catchments — arrayed along southern Brazil into eastern Uruguay. The SA-CSSL lakes formed during the Quaternary as barrier–lagoon systems – lagoons impounded behind coastal sand barriers, a unique and peculiar feature in the context of shallow lakes. Despite their regional and global relevance, subtropical shallow lakes remain under-represented in limnology, making SA-CSSL a critical research target that goes beyond temperate-dominated research. The region spans strong climatic and anthropogenic gradients and is directly influenced by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), creating a natural laboratory for comparative and replicated studies on ecosystem processes, biodiversity and resilience. Here, we synthesise the current knowledge on the system's origin, structure, functioning and pressures and formulate a forward-looking plan for coordinated research and monitoring. Drawing on the strategic outcome from a 2025 workshop in Brazil, we delineate four representative aquatic subsystems with historical monitoring and active projects — the Tramandaí River System, Patos Lagoon System, Mangueira–Mirim System and Uruguayan Lagoon System — as sentinels for integrated observation and research. Key anthropogenic and climatic stressors comprehensively documented include eutrophication, urban and agricultural runoff and emerging contaminants (e.g. pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics), alongside rapid landscape change and more frequently occurring extreme weather events due to climate change. We further outline priority research topics that leverage the system's scale and gradients: (i) pollutant and “novel entity” surveillance combining analytical chemistry with microbial and molecular biomarkers; (ii) biodiversity and community-assembly studies across ecotones and salinity transitions; (iii) remote-sensing–enabled lake modelling and early-warning indicators; (iv) designs for extreme inflow events; and (v) transboundary governance cases. To align local action with global needs, we align a monitoring framework with planetary boundaries, propose indicators and highlight data-infrastructure needs. We position SA-CSSL as a globally unique large-scale model for subtropical shallow lakes and a collaborative nexus for testing ecological theory and managing freshwater under accelerating climate and societal change.
subtropical freshwater
anthropogenic impact monitoring
coastal shallow lakes
Författare
Mariana Kluge
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)
Technische Universität München
Agatha C. Shubeita
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Anna Uchaikina
Technische Universität München
Cecilia Alonso
Universidad de la Republica
Bruna S. Herrman
Universidade Feevale
Caroline Menegotto-Silva
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Caroline Z. Lopes
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Danielle M. Pagani
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
David M. Marques
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Eduardo Moreira-Silva
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Erik Kristiansson
Chalmers, Matematiska vetenskaper, Tillämpad matematik och statistik
Göteborgs universitet
Isadora Quintana
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
José R. Cavalcanti
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Juliane D. Fleck
Universidade Feevale
Karine F. Ribeiro
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Laleh Varghaei
Göteborgs universitet
Lucas T. Oliveira
Centro De Estudos Costeiros Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR)
Lucia H.R. Rodrigues
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Luciana G. Ramilo
Universidad de la Republica
Luciane O. Crossetti
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Maria Stockenreiter
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Mariê M. Cabezudo
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Marla S. Lima
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Centro De Estudos Costeiros Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR)
Nátali K.P. Gonçalves
Centro De Estudos Costeiros Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR)
Néstor Mazzeo
Universidad de la Republica
Rafael O. Schneider
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Laura R.P. Utz
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
S Bertilsson
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)
Christian Wurzbacher
Technische Universität München
Ng Haig They
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Renata Medina-Silva
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
One Ecosystem
23678194 (eISSN)
Vol. 11 e186107Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Miljövetenskap
Oceanografi, hydrologi och vattenresurser
Ekologi
DOI
10.3897/oneeco.11.e186107