howryet, increwing their energetic reyquirements [11]. When saline lake water levels decline and their salinities rise [12]. emote sensing dats to monitoe long term changpe in suirface ment vertebrases, macrinvertobrates, and other organiems are, thenefore, unable to respond, leaving ecoiystems comon thum [16,17]. worldwide [22]. Climate change and incruating anthropogenic water usage have been the thain drivers of dedines in soline bke levels 115, 18L, bat other anthropogenic factars may also be 2. Methods important. Fur inatance, in the 'Lithum Triangle' of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile (figure De increasing demand for: (a) Study spericis and study arei lithium for use in electric cars, enengy storage, and celluiar Chivan, Andean and farmin' Hlamingos are long -lived waterthirde. telephones has driven an eightfold increase in liatuium prothoction over the past twe deeades and is potentially that beved and to varying degres remvin reident in the atregion [ 19200 ) . These salares are not enly biodiverse [ 21 ] but range eatending acres southem South America Pbi Andest provide considerable economic and health-related benefits for local prople [ 22 , 23 ] The impacts of littium mining asay be particularly eatenname indiniduabs spend the nontiredies sease in aline When sive in arid envirenments like the Uithium Triangle [24] west of the Andes. All tlece youis breed during the Ausinal munnine, math reponduction perking in lanuary [3P]. The Chiloar portion of the Lathium Triangle comprises firs complaie of salars (silt plyyas) and Louras (weitands. the production of 1 ton of lithium require approes - pontw-Husso, Surine, Rupal, Tars and Acicamu-located 400000 ] of water [25]. Some alares within the pgion ane alneady a4 historically low water lewels [ 26 ] and gradient 6 20 man amsually, 1936-2019), The calares ane largdy climste medels project futur precipitation dedines and groundwater and low.rua-eff fod endorhes busieg that contain bemperature increases [ 27 , 28 ] Increased lishium mining Sollow bibes raching selinites geter than 40 gt 1 and may thas prove ecologically insustainable if it mcorkenates sippotting seme of the rigion's only permisent water [40] angle began in the solar de Abank in 104 and tha peruined bution of local flora and fauna have: already been nutely 1/2 of the global lathum noerves [45/ ard mutuction documented, affecting local human popolations via decreases in the Alacuma is prodiked to increase to 20000 megatons of 129-311. Amang the mont threstened and econamically valuable ui0, Andean (Phixmicguimat audinus) and fames flamingos above 2018 lenels [20] (Phenonoparmas jamesi. Two of these species are endemic to (b) Flamingo surveys cesses [33] and represent a major attraction for the de Plemencos Altoandanes using dandandurad divableoboetver economically important ecotoursas industry [34. Impoe- point counts [44] tantly. Alamingos in other regions are susceptible to Wiatin the folur de Alaoma-a Ramsar welsind of inter .

1. howryet, increwing their energetic reyquirements [11]. When saline lake water levels decline and
their salinities rise [12]. emote sensing dats to monitoe long term changpe in suirface ment
vertebrases, macrinvertobrates, and other organiems are, thenefore, unable to respond, leaving
ecoiystems comon thum [16,17]. worldwide [22]. Climate change and incruating anthropogenic
water usage have been the thain drivers of dedines in soline bke levels 115, 18L, bat other
anthropogenic factars may also be 2. Methods important. Fur inatance, in the 'Lithum Triangle'
of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile (figure De increasing demand for: (a) Study spericis and study
arei lithium for use in electric cars, enengy storage, and celluiar Chivan, Andean and farmin'
Hlamingos are long -lived waterthirde. telephones has driven an eightfold increase in liatuium
prothoction over the past twe deeades and is potentially that beved and to varying degres remvin
reident in the atregion [ 19200 ) . These salares are not enly biodiverse [ 21 ] but range eatending
acres southem South America Pbi Andest provide considerable economic and health-related
benefits for local prople [ 22 , 23 ] The impacts of littium mining asay be particularly eatenname
indiniduabs spend the nontiredies sease in aline When sive in arid envirenments like the Uithium
Triangle [24] west of the Andes. All tlece youis breed during the Ausinal munnine, math
reponduction perking in lanuary [3P]. The Chiloar portion of the Lathium Triangle comprises firs
complaie of salars (silt plyyas) and Louras (weitands. the production of 1 ton of lithium require
approes - pontw-Husso, Surine, Rupal, Tars and Acicamu-located 400000 ] of water [25]. Some
alares within the pgion ane alneady a4 historically low water lewels [ 26 ] and gradient 6 20 man
amsually, 1936-2019), The calares ane largdy climste medels project futur precipitation dedines
and groundwater and low.rua-eff fod endorhes busieg that contain bemperature increases [ 27 ,
28 ] Increased lishium mining Sollow bibes raching selinites geter than 40 gt 1 and may thas
prove ecologically insustainable if it mcorkenates sippotting seme of the rigion's only permisent
water [40] angle began in the solar de Abank in 104 and tha peruined bution of local flora and
fauna have: already been nutely 1/2 of the global lathum noerves [45/ ard mutuction
documented, affecting local human popolations via decreases in the Alacuma is prodiked to
increase to 20000 megatons of 129-311. Amang the mont threstened and econamically valuable
ui0, Andean (Phixmicguimat audinus) and fames flamingos above 2018 lenels [20]
(Phenonoparmas jamesi. Two of these species are endemic to (b) Flamingo surveys cesses [33]
and represent a major attraction for the de Plemencos Altoandanes using dandandurad
divableoboetver economically important ecotoursas industry [34. Impoe- point counts [44]
tantly. Alamingos in other regions are susceptible to Wiatin the folur de Alaoma-a Ramsar
welsind of inter about the potential combined effects of climate change and Gan/Feb, Apr/May.
Jul/Aus and Oct/Nowi at mex lagane: Quinina y Mikera cava-2009, 2011-2013. These of these
lags. sther inthroposenenic facton, like leman population growth, comat data with specuic lapinas
may be affecting salar water levels in the Lithuum Triangle and (2) identify how thoe chancer-
along wish such alimet mining related impacts as distubbange - may be alfecting flaminge
populations. We lypotheixod that dimatic and anthopogenic factors oould influenor flaminge
abundance. within a salar bots dianaty and indirectly-va their iniler: ence on slar water levels
and, mabsepuenily. food availability for flamingos (tigure 1). We then frestictest that decmases
in surface water levels and incrases in lithaime mining would neqatively sffect llaminga
abundanoe. We ing the nurey?: tested these predictions by combining more than 70 years (c)
Surface water change