This mud freezes during the winter months to a certain depth and cryoturbation has formed polygonal structures as well as large cracks in the crust on its surface.

[17] It is unclear what drives its formation as the climate at Pastos Grandes is similar to that of other salt lakes without such platforms[5] but it may be a consequence of carbon dioxide degassing under the salar.

[20] All these cave formations encountered at Pastos Grandes are caused by the precipitation of calcite from oversaturated waters at the surface.

[22] Animal species found within the lakes include amphipods, elmids and leeches in freshwater and by Cricotopus in saltwater.

[23] Additional animals are Euplanaria dorotocephala, Chironomidae, Corixidae, Cyclopoida, Ephydridae, Harpacticoida, Orchestidae, Ostracoda and Tipulidae species.

[24][25] Similar but different animal species have been found in other local lakes, indicating that they are largely separate systems.

[26] The animal flora of such Altiplano lakes is not very diverse, probably due to their relative youth and the harsh and often highly variable climates of the past in the region.