Inventario y caracterización morfológica de lagos y lagunas de alta montaña en las provincias de Palencia y León (España)

Abstract

High mountain lakes and lagoons are not a typical feature of the landscape of the Iberian Peninsula, but rather an exception in the natural environment, therefore its study and conservation presents great interest. This study arises in order to inventory and characterize a set of seventeen lagoon complex located over the provinces of Palencia and Leon, without any kind of size restriction. Likewise their basins are described, since they are related with them and they will determine their future evolution. Among other results, it should be noted that, despite they are situated at high altitude, they have a complex and varied hydrological network, denoting the high diversity of these systems. The lithology factor seems to affect significantly to the depth of the studied units, however depth and dimensions of the lakes are strongly related with the specific characteristics of their morphogenesis. In general, studied lakes and lagoons appear to be more fragile to possible alterations in their catchments if they are compared with bigger systems studied in the specialized literature.