Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve

The Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve protects a volcanic lake, Laguna de Apoyo, and its drainage basin. Laguna de Apoyo is an endorheic lake occupying the caldera of an extinct volcano. The lake is approximately round with the diameter of 6.6 km. It is 175 m deep and occupies an area of 19.44 km².{{cite report |url=http://www.inide.gob.ni/Anuarios/Anuario%20Estadistico%202015.pdf |title=Anuario Estadístico 2015 |language=es |page=6 |publisher=INIDE |date=February 2016 |accessdate=1 December 2017}} The lake's drainage basin occupies 38 km²; influx and outflow of underground water plays a major role in the lake's water balance.

According to Nicaraguan hydrologists, the lake's level dropped 10 m in some 30 years between 2002 and the mid-2000s.[http://www.cira-unan.edu.ni/index.php?s=58 EVALUACIÓN DE LA DINÁMICA DE LA LAGUNA DE APOYO MEDIANTE TRAZADORES ISOTÓPICOS Y GEOQUÍMICOS] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131082249/http://www.cira-unan.edu.ni/index.php?s=58 |date=31 January 2016 }}

The reserve houses a tropical dry forest ecosystem, within the reserve the flora consists of over 500 species of plants and tropical dry trees, such as pochote, black rosewood, mahogany, hogplum and guacuco, as well as a large variety and amount of orchids. The fauna consists of mammals such as variegated squirrels, opossums, anteaters, pacas, jaguarundis, howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys. As well as a variety of reptiles such as green iguanas and common boas. Over 230 species of birds have been documented in the reserve, oropendolas, falcons, hummingbirds, and 65 species of migratory birds are present. Two-hundred twenty species of butterflies have been documented in the reserve, including 25 first records for Nicaraguavan Dort J & McCrary JK (2010):Lepidoptera de la Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo; Rev. Biodiv. AAPP 2:87-92.[http://www.gaianicaragua.org/LepsApoyo.pdf] and dozens of mollusks.{{cite news | title=Lake Apoyo| url =http://www.vianica.com/go/specials/25-laguna-de-apoyo-nicaragua.html | work =ViaNica | accessdate = 12 August 2007 }} Lake Apoyo also contains a variety of fish species, including six endemic species of cichlids in the genus Amphilophus. One of these species is the arrow cichlid (Amphilophus zaliosus), described in 1976. Three additional species were described in 2008, by the multinational research team directed by the Nicaraguan NGO, FUNDECI/GAIA, which manages a research station on the shore of the lake.Stauffer JR, Jr., McCrary JK, & Black KE (2008): Three new species of cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from LakeApoyo, Nicaragua; PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON121(1):117–129 [http://www.gaianicaragua.org/three%20new%20species%20of%20cichlids%20from%20Lake%20Apoyo.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003195733/http://www.gaianicaragua.org/three%20new%20species%20of%20cichlids%20from%20Lake%20Apoyo.pdf|date=3 October 2011}} The remaining two cichlids were only described in 2010.Geiger MF, McCrary JK, & Stauffer JR, Jr. (2010): Description of two new species of the Midas cichlid complex (Teleostei:Cichlidae) from Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua; PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON123(2):159–173 [http://www.gaianicaragua.org/geiger2010sps.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003195857/http://www.gaianicaragua.org/geiger2010sps.pdf|date=3 October 2011}}Dittmann, Roesti, Indermaur, Colombo, Gschwind, Keller, Kovac, Barluenga, Muschick, and Salzburger (2012). Depth-dependent abundance of Midas Cichlid fish (Amphilophus spp.) in two Nicaraguan crater lakes. Hydrobiologia 686(1): 277-285. In addition to the endemics, three cichlids (Parachromis managuense, Oreochromis aureus, and O. niloticus) are found in the lake, but these were introduced by humans.

Lake Apoyo attracts tourists with various tourist attractions such as dark sand beaches for swimming, kayaking, hiking, scuba diving, birdwatching, paragliding, boating, and nature. Pumice rocks abound in the lagoon, and are harvested by locals for use in the clothing industry. Recently, petroglyphs and artifacts of indigenous peoples have been found in the reserve. Strict laws limiting human activity exist in the reserve, and several residential construction projects have been stopped and many landowners have been engaged in legal processes by the Ministry of Natural Resources inside the reserve, in accordance with the laws regarding nature reserves in Nicaragua.{{cite news| title=MARENA Ley 217| url=http://www.marena.gob.ni| work=MARENA| accessdate=24 April 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924120358/http://marena.gob.ni/| archive-date=24 September 2017| url-status=dead}}

• Tourism in Nicaragua
• Pyrgophorus coronatus found in the crater lake

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Laguna de Apoyo}}

{{Wikivoyage|Laguna de Apoyo}}

• [http://www.gaianicaragua.org/ FUNDECI/GAIA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021210328/http://www.gaianicaragua.org/ |date=21 October 2012 }}
• [http://www.lagunadeapoyo.blogspot.com/ Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve blog]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120411203052/http://www.apoyolalaguna.com/ Laguna de Apoyo Visitor Center]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081118215309/http://www.posadaecologicalaabuela.com/ Posada de la Abuela, Hotel at the Lagoon]{{in lang|es}}
• [http://www.casamarimba.com/ Casa Marimba: Nature, Music and Food lovers, Hotel at the Lagoon]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120310063801/http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/13115 Hallan nuevas mojarras (El Nuevo Diario, 14 April 2008)]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150602005008/http://lagunadeapoyo.blogspot.com/2010/12/scenes-from-laguna-de-apoyo.html Scenes from Laguna de Apoyo]
• [http://www.thelagunabeachclub.com/ Laguna Beach Club, Hostel at Laguna de Apoyo]

{{Nature Reserves in Nicaragua}}

{{Nicaragua topics}}

{{Coord|11.922|-86.029|display=title}}

Category:Protected areas of Nicaragua

Category:Lagoons of Nicaragua

Category:Masaya Department

Category:Granada Department

Category:Volcanic crater lakes

Category:Volcanoes of Nicaragua