Iguazu River

Course

The Iguazu originates in the Serra do Mar coastal mountains of the Brazilian state of Paraná and close to Curitiba. For 1205 km, to its confluence with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu flows west through Paraná State, Brazil. Downriver from the confluence, the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Brazil and Argentina's Misiones Province. Continuing west, the river drops off a plateau, forming Iguazu Falls. The falls are within national parks in both Brazil, Iguaçu National Park, and Argentina, Iguazú National Park. It empties into the Paraná River at the point where the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay join, an area known as the Triple Frontier.

Ecology

Unlike tropical South American rivers, where the annual variations in temperature are relatively limited, the water in the subtropical Iguazu River varies significantly depending on season. At two sites, one located just above and another just below the falls, the water at both varied from about 15.5 to(-), and average was just below 22 C. The pH is typically near-neutral, ranging from 5.9 to 8.7.

About 100 fish species are native to the Iguazu River, and several undescribed species are known. Most fish species in the river are catfish, characiforms and cichlids. About 70% are endemic, which to a large extent is linked to the falls, serving both as a home for rheophilic species and isolating species above and below. Almost 30 introduced species are found in the river where about one-third originate from other continents (such as carp, largemouth bass, tilapia and African sharptooth catfish) and the remaining from elsewhere in South America (such as dorado, Cichla kelberi, pacu, Brycon hilarii, Prochilodus lineatus and Odontesthes bonariensis).

The unusual Aegla crustacean are locally common in the Iguazu River Basin.

Environmental issues

In July 2000 more than 4,000,000 L of crude oil spilled into the river from a state-run oil refinery in the municipality of Araucária near Curitiba.

References

References

1. Varis, Olli. (2008). "Management of Transboundary Rivers and Lakes". Springer.
2. "Parana (La Plata)".
3. [[GEOnet Names Server. GNS]] coordinates adjusted using [[Google Maps]] and [https://tools.freeside.sk/geolocator/geolocator.html GeoLocator]
4. {{GEOnet2. 32FA88410F3C3774E0440003BA962ED3. Rio Iguassu
5. {{GEOnet2. 32FA88410F3E3774E0440003BA962ED3. Rio Iguaçu
6. {{GEOnet2. 32FA88410F3D3774E0440003BA962ED3. Río Iguazú
7. (2018-05-04). "Iguazú y la tierra del agua grande".
8. "PES Serra da Baitaca". ISA: Instituto Socioambiental.
9. Nardelli, Bueno, Ludwig, and Guimarães (2016). ''[http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842016000200374 Structure and dynamics of the planktonic diatom community in the Iguassu River, Paraná State, Brazil.]'' Braz. J. Biol. 76(2).
10. Daga, Debona, Abilhoa, Gubiani & Vitule (2016). ''Non-native fish invasion of Neotropical ecoregion with high endemism: a review of the Iguaçu River.'' Aquatic Invasions 11(2): 209-223.
11. Baumgartner, Pavanelli, Baumgartner, Bifi, Debona & Frana (2012). ''[https://books.scielo.org/id/sn23w Peixes do baixo rio Iguaçu.]'' EDUEM. [[DOI:10.7476/9788576285861]]
12. Piálek, Dragová, Casciotta, Almirón & Řičan (2015). ''Description of two new species of Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from the lower Iguazú River with a taxonomic reappraisal of C. iguassuensis, C. tesay and C. yaha.'' Historia Natural 5(2): 5-27.
13. Ferrareze & Nogueira (2015). ''Impact assessment of the introduction of Cichla kelberi in a large Neotropical reservoir and its lateral lagoons (Upper Paraná River Basin, Brazil).'' Braz. J. Biol. 75(4).
14. Gubiani, Frana, Maciel & Baumgartner (2010). ''Occurrence of the non-native fish Salminus brasiliensis (Cuvier, 1816), in a global biodiversity ecoregion, Iguaçu River, Paraná River basin, Brazil.'' Aquatic Invasions 5 (2): 223-227.
15. Cyrino, Bureau & Kapoor, editors (2008). ''Feeding and Digestive Functions of Fishes.'' p. 45. Science Publishers. {{ISBN. 978-1-4398-4269-0
16. (18 July 2000). "Brazil battles oil spill threat". [[BBC Online]].