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Caño El Pozo, Orinoco basin, Venezuela

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Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of, Amazonas

Caño El Pozo is located in Amazonas State, Venezuela. It is a small tributary of the Orinoco River. It is about 4m wide and its length is unknown.

During the dry season its waters are clear and crystalline. Its horizontal transparency is about 10m. In rainy season the water takes on an amber color. It is an acidic water system, with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, and temperatures between 25 and 27°C. The bottom substrate is predominantly white, fine-grained silica sand.

Tree roots, branches, and a large number of aquatic plants, both rooted and submerged, can be seen. This vegetation is part of a typical morichal vegetation of the Colombian-Venezuelan Orinoquia region. We find aquatic plants such as Tonina sp., Cabomba furcata, Bacopa callitrichoides, Eleocharis minima and Najas guadalupensis. Among its aquatic fauna we find Paracheirodon axelrodi, Pristella maxilaris, Nannostomus eques, Dicrosus gladicauda, ​​Monocirrhus polyacanthus, and others.

Submitted by
Walter Vazquez
Approved by
Roberto E. Reis, Pablo C. Lehmann & Antonio Machado-Allison
GPS
3.9850409, -67.6386948
Geographical region
South America
Drainage Basin
Western Guiana Shield
River catchment
Orinoco river
Water body type
Stream
Water body name
Caño El Pozo
Water body part
Channel
Water body course
Middle course
Water body: tributary of
River
Tributary name
Orinoco river

Videos above and below water


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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
fresh-water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
25-27 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
5.5
Conductivity
GH
dGH
KH
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Substrate in nature

Sand
White
Pebble/Gravel
None
Stone
Stone form
Silt/Mud
None
Leaves
Many
Driftwood
Many
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
Yes

Aquatic Biotope

Date of collecting
Collecting area
Water depth
Air temperature
Sunlight

Environment

Environment
Affected by human activity
Affected by human activity
Pollution
Pollution
Moderate
Surrounding area

Caño El Pozo is noted for its incredibly clear waters, which, according to Sioli’s limnological classification, are crystal clear. Under normal conditions, its horizontal transparency is about 10m. During periods of heavy rain, this transparency is reduced to about 8m. During these times, the water takes on an amber color, very similar to that of sewage.

The physical and chemical characteristics of this system are also very distinctive. It is an acidic water system, with a pH that varies between 4.5 and 5.5, and temperatures that range between 25 and 27°C.

The banks of Caño El Pozo are covered by dense forest vegetation that keeps the body of water shaded for virtually the entire day. The only area devoid of this vegetation cover is a small sandy beach that the people of the nearby town of San Fernando de Atabapo often use as a bathing resort to enjoy the jungle landscape.

Underwater landscape

The bottom substrate is predominantly white, fine-grained silica sand. When you dive into this channel, the effect of sunlight hitting the white substrate, along with the minerals dissolved in the water, casts a greenish hue on the water column.

Tree roots, branches, and a large number of aquatic plants, both rooted and submerged, can be seen. This vegetation is part of a typical morichal vegetation of the Colombian-Venezuelan Orinoquia region. Among the most representative species are the moriche palms Mauritia flexuosa, the thorny Mauritiella aculeata, and other semi-aquatic and aquatic plants such as Desmoncus mitis, Thurnia sphaerocephala, Acisanthera quadrata, Montrichardia arborescens, Tonina sp., Urospatha sagittifolia, Cabomba furcata, Bacopa callitrichoides, Eleocharis mínima, Najas guadalupensis and many more that, together, create a visually and ecologically striking environment.

Fish list:

  • Potamotrygon motoro (Potamotrygonidae)
  • Acestridium dichromum (Loricariidae)
  • Dekeyseria scaphirhyncha (Loricariidae)
  • Acestrorhynchus falcatus (Acestrorhynchidae)
  • Acestrorhynchus minimus (Acestrorhynchidae)
  • Laemolyta orinocensis (Anostomidae)
  • Leporinus klausewitzi (Anostomidae)
  • Leporinus ortomaculatus (Anostomidae)
  • Hyphessobrycon acaciae (Characidae)
  • Hyphessobrycon sweglesi (Characidae)
  • Moenkhausia copei (Characidae)
  • Moenkhausia oligolepis (Characidae)
  • Petitella bleheri (Characidae)
  • Paracheirodon axelrodi (Characidae)
  • Pristella maxillaris (Characidae)
  • Ammocryptocharax elegans (Crenuchidae)
  • Boulengerella lateristriga (Ctenoluciidae)
  • Cyphocharax multilineatus  (Curimatidae)
  • Hoplias malabaricus (Erythrinidae)
  • Carnegiella marthae (Gasteropelecidae)
  • Hemiodus gracilis (Hemiodontidae)
  • Bryconops giacopinii (Iguanodectidae)
  • Iguanodectes  cf. gracilis (Iguanodectidae)
  • Iguanodectes cf. spilurus (guanodectidae)
  • Copella eigenmanni (Lebiasinidae)
  • Nannostomus eques (Lebiasinidae)
  • Nannostomus marginatus (Lebiasinidae)
  • Nannostomus unifasciatus (Lebiasinidae)
  • Pyrrhulina lugubris (Lebiasinidae)
  • Semaprochilodus kneri (Prochilodontidae)
  • Acaronia vultuosa (Cichlidae)
  • Aequidens metae (Cichlidae)
  • Apistogramma megaptera (Cichlidae)
  • Biotodoma wavrini (Cichlidae)
  • Crenicichla cf. wallacii (Cichlidae)
  • Dicrossus gladicauda (Cichlidae)
  • Heros  liberifer (Cichlidae)
  • Heros severus (Cichlidae)
  • Hypselecara coryphaenoides (Cichlidae)
  • Laetacara fulvipinnis (Cichlidae)
  • Mesonauta insignis (Cichlidae)
  • Satanoperca daemon (Cichlidae)
  • Satanoperca mapiritensis (Cichlidae)
  • Monocirrhus  polyacanthus  (Polycentridae)
  • Laimosemion tecminae (Rivulidae)
  • Potamorrhaphis guianensis  (Hemiramphidae)
  • Pristobrycon careospinus (Serrasalmidae)

Aquatic plant list:

  • Cabomba furcata (Cabombaceae)
  • Eleocharis minima (Cyperaceae)
  • Bacopa callitrichoides (Plantaginaceae)
  • Naja guadalupensis (Hydrocharitaceae)
  • Pontederis azurea (Pontederiaceae)
Threats to ecology

Because nearby locals use this water system as a bathing resort, waste left behind by people can often be found in its coastal areas or on the water’s bottom.

Riparian zone

Trees near the aquatic habitat
Many -

Bibliography

Sitography

→ Mikolji.com

Comment by the expert

Roberto E. Reis: Fair description of environment, but little photographic support. Human posed threats fairly well described. A large number of fish and a plant listed for the aquatic habitat, including scientific names and families. Aquatic habitat pretty well described. A small number of references and websites used.

Pablo C. Lehmann: The research conducted by Walter Vázquez demonstrates excellent ecological understanding and integration of literature with personal observation. It convincingly portrays the Caño El Pozo biotope and provides solid scientific support for its replication in an aquarium.