I visited Laguna Bacalar as part of my PhD project with the other PhD student in the project and friend, Dr Estanislao Kozlowski. The aim of this week spent there was to document (observe, make notes and take photographs) as much as we could the thrombolite mounds that are growing in this lake and the surrounded facies. We also checked the distribution of the mounds
Laguna Bacalar is a freshwater coastal lake, under tropical climate, where the renewing of the water is provided by calcium-carbonate-rich groundwaters through cenotes. Cenotes are large karstic conduit very common in the Yucatan Peninsula, formed by a karstic collapse due to the intense dissolution of limestone in the tropical climate.
In this lake are found massive thrombolite mounds that are perfectly growing with the presence of mangrove trees, fish, mussels, and freshwater crustaceans.
If you would like to learn more please check Appendix 1 in my PhD thesis that summarises our observations and interpretations.
All text and images are copyright Dr Arnaud Gallois