Research Article

Limnological characteristics, community metabolism and management strategies of a coastal sinkhole in Cuba (Cenote Jennifer)

¹ Centro de Estudios Geomáticos, Ambientales y Marinos (GEOMAR), Avenida Ejército Nacional 804, Polanco V Sección, Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México CP: 11560, Mexico
² Departamento de Hidráulica, Facultad de Ciencias Técnicas, Universidad de Ciego de Ávila, Carretera a Morón, Km 9, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba
³ Maestría en Calidad Alimentaria, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro, 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
⁴ School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0100, USA
⁵ Centro Meteorológico Provincial Ciego de Ávila, Avenida de los Deportes S/N, Ciego de Ávila CP: 65100, Cuba
⁶ Departamento de Turismo y Organización Empresarial, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Economía y Gestión Empresarial, Universidad de Ciego de Ávila, Carretera a Morón, Km 9, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

^* Corresponding author: coraleslhf@gmail.com

Received: 24 May 2020
Accepted: 2 September 2020

Abstract

The Cenote Jennifer is an important and unique aquatic sinkhole in Cayo Coco (Jardines del Rey Tourist Destination) that has brackish to saline water. Two samplings were made in 1998 and 2009, and 4 metabolism community experiments in 2009. Some limnological parameters were measured in both samplings (temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen major ions, hydrogen sulfide, nutrients and others). Community metabolism was measured through incubated oxygen concentration in clear and dark oxygen bottles. Results showed that the sinkhole limnology depends on rainfall and light incidence year, with some stratification episodes, due to halocline or oxycline presence, rather than thermocline. The sinkhole water was oligotrophic (total nitrogen of 41.5 ± 22.2 μmol l⁻¹ and total phosphorus of 0.3 ± 0.2 μmol l⁻¹) and with low productivity (gross primary productivity of 63.0 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹). Anoxia and hypoxia were present at the bottom with higher levels of hydrogen sulfide, lower pH and restricted influence of the adjacent sea (2 km away). To protect the Cenote Jennifer, tourist exploitation should be avoided and more resources to ecological and morphological studies should be allocated, and eventually use this aquatic system only for specialized diving. For conservation purposes, illegal garbage disposal in the surrounding forest should end.