Origin

The Origin has several sources of water with very distinct properties and varying iron concentrations. Origin site 1 corresponds to the “Intersection” in Gonzales-Toril (2001) and represents the site where the waters from all three major sources come together before the water passes under the roadway (pH 2.7, 9.6 g Fe/L). Site 2 is a yellow pool below the wall and corresponds to Gonzales-Toril site I (isquierda) pH 2.9, 0.8 g Fe/L). Site 3 is the small deep red stream coming out from Peña del Hierro and corresponds to Gonzales-Toril site II (isquierda, isquierda) (pH 1.8, 19.8 g Fe/L). Stream II is also slightly cooler than I. The combination of temperature and conductivity differences cause stream II to be significantly denser than I such that when the streams first join, stream I floats on top of the denser red water from stream II. A recent eukaryotic biodiversity study of biofilms at the Origin yielded a broad range of rDNA phylotypes including sequences related to Chlorella, Zygnema, Nuclearia, unidentified fungi, cercomonads, different stramenopiles, valhkampfiid amoebae and other unidentified amoebae. We do not know which of these groups also occur in the water column.

Origin
Site 1
Origin site 1 corresponds to the intersection in Gonzales-Toril (2001) and represents the site where the waters from all three major sources come together before the water passes under the roadway (pH 2.7, 9.6 g Fe/L).

Site 2
Site 2 is a yellow pool below the wall and corresponds to Gonzales-Toril site I (pH 2.9, 0.8 g Fe/L).

Site 3
Site 3 is the small deep red stream coming out from Peña del Hierro and corresponds to Gonzales-Toril site II (pH 1.8, 19.8 g Fe/L).