Rapid and highly variable warming of lake surface waters around the globe (O'Reilly, C. M., S. Sharma, D. K. Gray, S. E. Hampton, J. S. Read, R. J. Rowley, P. Schneider, J. D. Lenters, P. B. McIntyre, B. M. Kraemer, et al. (2015), Rapid and highly variable warming of lake surface waters around the globe, Geophys. Res. Lett.,Dec. 16, 2015)
Also discussed here: Satellite data shows that climate change is warming Earth's lakes (Chris Wood, Gizmag, Dec.17, 2015)
Today we review an article that examines the impact of climate change on lakes around the world, making use of satellite-derived temperatures as well as ground measurements. They reveal that lake temperatures are rising, especially in ice-covered lakes in polar regions by more than what is seen in the increase of air temperatures. This underscores the major impacts for lake ecology (example algae blooms) as a result of climate change, in general, as well as the future potential of fresh water fisheries. The authors suggest that the vulnerability of lakes be included and made an important part of any climate change action plan.
“A new study has brought together more than 25 years of satellite data, combined with ground measurements, to assess the state of Earth's lakes…results show that the average temperature in the lakes has been rising by 0.61 degrees Fahrenheit every 10 years. While that might not seem too significant, it's a higher rate of warming than witnessed in either the atmosphere or the ocean, and the long-term effects could be pronounced”
"The most rapidly warming lakes are widely geographically distributed, and their warming is associated with interactions among different climatic factors—from seasonally ice-covered lakes in areas where temperature and solar radiation are increasing while cloud cover is diminishing (0.72°C decade−1) to ice-free lakes experiencing increases in air temperature and solar radiation (0.53°C decade−1).”
“the continued increase in lake temperature will bring with it an increase in algal blooms by a much as 20 percent over the next century, lowering the water's oxygen levels while increasing toxicity for fish and animal life. Additionally, the temperature rise could cause an overall rise in methane emissions by as much as four percent in the coming decade.”
“Already, changes in thermal structure and mixing have decreased productivity of some lakes, which threaten human communities that depend on fisheries as a nutritional and economic resource”
“The pervasive and rapid warming observed here signals the urgent need to incorporate climate impacts into vulnerability assessments and adaptation efforts for lakes,"