Iguazu River
Template:About Template:Short description Template:Infobox river The Iguazu River (Template:Langx<ref>Template:GEOnet2</ref> {{#invoke:IPA|main}}, Template:Langx {{#invoke:IPA|main}}),<ref>Template:GEOnet2</ref> also called Rio Iguassu,<ref>Template:GEOnet2</ref> (from the Guaraní í Guazú, literally "Big Water")<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is a river in Brazil and Argentina. It is an important tributary of the Paraná River. The Iguazu River is Template:Convert long, with a drainage basin of Template:Cvt.<ref name=varis>Template:Cite book</ref>
CourseEdit
The Iguazu originates in the Serra do Mar coastal mountains of the Brazilian state of Paraná and close to Curitiba.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> For Template:Convert, 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.<ref name=varis/> Continuing west, the river drops off a plateau, forming Iguazu Falls, which are accessible via the Rainforest Ecological Train. 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.
EcologyEdit
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 Template:Convert, and average was just below Template:Convert.<ref name=Nardelli2016>Nardelli, Bueno, Ludwig, and Guimarães (2016). Structure and dynamics of the planktonic diatom community in the Iguassu River, Paraná State, Brazil. Braz. J. Biol. 76(2).</ref> The pH is typically near-neutral, ranging from 5.9 to 8.7.<ref name=Nardelli2016/>
About 100 fish species are native to the Iguazu River, and several undescribed species are known.<ref name=Daga2016>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.</ref><ref name=Baumgartner>Baumgartner, Pavanelli, Baumgartner, Bifi, Debona & Frana (2012). Peixes do baixo rio Iguaçu. EDUEM. DOI:10.7476/9788576285861</ref> Most fish species in the river are catfish, characiforms and cichlids.<ref name=Baumgartner/><ref name=pialek>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.</ref> 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.<ref name=Baumgartner/><ref name=pialek/> This also means that, except for the threatened Steindachneridion melanodermatum in the lower part, large migratory fish known from much of the Paraná River Basin are naturally absent from Iguazu.<ref name=Daga2016/><ref>Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (2010): Igussu. Template:Webarchive Retrieved 28 July 2016.</ref> 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).<ref name=Daga2016/><ref name=Baumgartner/><ref>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).</ref><ref>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.</ref>
The unusual Aegla crustacean are locally common in the Iguazu River Basin.<ref>Cyrino, Bureau & Kapoor, editors (2008). Feeding and Digestive Functions of Fishes. p. 45. Science Publishers. Template:ISBN</ref>
Environmental issuesEdit
In July 2000 more than Template:Convert of crude oil spilled into the river from a state-run oil refinery in the municipality of Araucária near Curitiba.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
File:Iguazariverparaguay.jpg The Iguazu (right) at its confluence with the Paraná (middle) |
