13. The Temperate Rainforest Lakes of Chile and
Canada: Comparative Ecology and Sensitivity to
Anthropocentric Change
Doris Soto and John G. Stockner
Temperate rainforests are among the most environmentally sensitive
and biologically diverse ecosystems in the world. They are currently
under heavy exploitive pressures and the subject of international
controversy . Along with their roles as providers of unique and diverse
species habitats and as major players in global carbon cycling, they also
serve as collection basins for many large lakes of ecological and economic
importance. The catchments of Chilean Araucanian lakes (39
0
to 42
0 S)
and south coastal British Columbian (Be) lakes (49
0
to 51
0
N) (Figure
13.1) are in rainforest biogeoclimatic zones and share common properties, for example , climate, age and glacial origin, morphometry, and the
oligotrophic state (Le., <10ug·L- 1 average total phosphorus (TP)
content) (Vollenweider, 1968; Campos , 1984; Soto & Zuniga , 1991;
Stockner, 1981, 1987).
This paper has three objectives : (1) to provide a brief description
of the major temperate rainforest lake systems; (2) to compare and
contrast Chilean lakes with BC lakes of similar latitude and size;
and (3) to compare their sensitivity and potential for change due to
anthropogenic activities, both short and longer term. It is possible
that limnological factors (e.g., temperature, nutrient ratios, food web
structure) may serve as sensitive barometers of future change induced
by human activities on both regional (catchments) and global (climate)
scales.
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