A survey of 60 high mountain lakes of Colombia’s Eastern Range was performed to evaluate the response of surface-sediment diatoms to environmental variables. In each one of these lakes, water samples were taken for physical and chemical characterization, and diatoms were collected from the superficial bottom sediment at the deepest part. Multivariate statistical analyses were made to determine the relationships between environmental and biological data, specifically which environmental variables explain the diatom distribution. For each of these significant environmental variables, optima and ecological tolerances were calculated using the weighted-average method, which allowed for the classification of the species according to their environmental preferences. The lakes showed a wide range of environmental gradients in variables such as pH, alkalinity, and nutrients. In addition, the depth of the lakes was a direct determinant of the light environment of the water column. A total of 339 diatom taxa were identified belonging mainly to the genera Eunotia and Pinnularia. Variables related to pH-alkalinity gradient, trophic condition (nitrates and phosphorus), and physical factors (radiation at the bottom) had a significant effect on diatom composition. Despite the fact that the total organic carbon environmental range was high, the effect of this variable on diatom species composition was not significant. In conclusion, the diatoms of the studied lakes showed a significant ecological relationship with environmental variables which are potentially important in environmental reconstruction. Diatoms in the study sites can provide useful and independent quantitative information to investigate the recent impacts of global change on tropical high mountain ecosystems.

对哥伦比亚东部山脉的 60 个高山湖泊进行了调查，以评估表层沉积硅藻对环境变量的响应。在每一个湖泊中，都采集了水样进行理化表征，并从最深处的表层底部沉积物中收集硅藻。进行了多变量统计分析以确定环境和生物数据之间的关系，特别是哪些环境变量可以解释硅藻分布。对于这些重要的环境变量中的每一个，使用加权平均法计算最佳和生态耐受性，这允许根据其环境偏好对物种进行分类。湖泊在诸如 pH 值、碱度和营养。此外，湖泊的深度是水柱光环境的直接决定因素。共鉴定出 339 个硅藻类群，主要属于该属Eunotia和Pinnularia。与 pH-碱度梯度、营养条件（硝酸盐和磷）和物理因素（底部辐射）相关的变量对硅藻组成有显着影响。尽管总有机碳环境范围很大，但该变量对硅藻物种组成的影响并不显着。总之，所研究湖泊的硅藻与环境变量之间显示出显着的生态关系，这些变量对环境重建具有潜在的重要意义。研究地点的硅藻可以提供有用和独立的定量信息，以研究全球变化对热带高山生态系统的近期影响。