Latin America
Related: About this forumTHE STUNNING TRUTH ABOUT COLOMBIA'S RIVER OF FIVE COLORS
BY SCOTT WILLIAMSON/AUG. 12, 2021 4:18 PM EDT/UPDATED: AUG. 12, 2021 5:03 PM EDT
South America has been a source of mystery for centuries within the fields of biology and archaeology. The titanic Amazon rainforest holds within it all sorts of natural wonders in the way of plant and animal life. It also holds the remains of mysterious settlements that long predate the rise of the Incan empire which was once thought to be the pinnacle of South American civilization. Meanwhile in Colombia, a river stands out as one of the most visually unique ecosystems in the world.
Caño Cristales, also known as the "River of Five Colors" and the "Liquid Rainbow," is a 62-mile-long body of water which can appear as any mix of colors including yellow, blue, green, orange, and a purplish red (via Travel + Leisure). While multiple colors appearing at once is a relatively rare occurrence, the river is nevertheless a spectacular sight whenever it bears any color. Although at first it may appear as though artificial dye was added to the water, this rainbow river is a completely natural phenomenon.
THE RIVER'S DEFINING COLORS ARE DUE TO ONE PLANT
Caño Cristales' various colors are the result of Macarenia clavigera, a rare species of aquatic plant that spans the length of the river (via Gentside). The plants change color depending on how much sunlight they receive, which is determined by the height and speed of the water. It is therefore not uncommon for the plants to be completely colorless if sunlight is too inaccessible. Macarenia Clavigera is also an exceptionally delicate plant; its transparent leaves give the water an almost painted appearance (via the BBC).
This makes them easily damaged by major disturbances in the water and, unfortunately, human visitors initially tended to trample them while swimming. Once a tourist industry was established around the site, regulations were put in place that cut down the number of visitors, prohibited any chemicals such as bug spray, and limited how many people could swim at one time. Regardless, The River of Five Colors stands out as one of Colombia's most popular natural attractions, drawing thousands of tourists every year (via CNN).
https://www.grunge.com/484704/mysteries-of-the-rainforest-youve-never-heard-of/
Also posted in Science:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/122877600
Quakerfriend
(5,416 posts)The natural beauty of Colombia is spectacular!
Judi Lynn
(160,211 posts)Thank you, Quakerfriend.
Quakerfriend
(5,416 posts)these pics!
With all the recent goings on there
He realizes he may never be back again 😥.
His cousin, Victor Englebert, was a photographer for the National Geographic and recorded many photos of the indigenous tribes in the 60s-70s.
Judi Lynn
(160,211 posts)His would be a life very well spent. What he has done would be of great interest to so many people, valued in libraries, too.
Discovering the life's work of Edward Sheriff Curtis's images of Native Americans around the turn of the century (early 1900's) opened a window in my life I have treasured from the moment I found them in a library a long time ago.
Hope your husband will enjoy seeing the unique river photographs.
Thank you!
Here's a link to the google images of various photographs taken by Edward Sheriff Curtis:
https://tinyurl.com/dec5xcmp
(It occurred to me well after the photographs that the people in the photos had seen their entire nation seized, and millions of indigenous people murdered by the time Curtis was commissioned by the US government to document the vanishing way of life by the original American citizens.)