Contemporary limnology of the rapidly changing glacierized watershed of the world's largest High Arctic lake

Glacial runoff is predicted to increase in many parts of the Arctic with climate change, yet little is known about the biogeochemical impacts of meltwaters on downstream freshwater ecosystems. Here we document the contemporary limnology of the rapidly changing glacierized watershed of the world'...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2019-03, Vol.9 (1), p.4447, Article 4447
Main Authors: St Pierre, K A, St Louis, V L, Lehnherr, I, Schiff, S L, Muir, D C G, Poulain, A J, Smol, J P, Talbot, C, Ma, M, Findlay, D L, Findlay, W J, Arnott, S E, Gardner, Alex S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic ecosystems
Climate change
Dissolved organic carbon
Freshwater ecosystems
Lakes
Limnology
Meltwater
Nitrogen dioxide
Nutrients
Rivers
Runoff
Turbidity
Water quality
Watersheds
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Summary:Glacial runoff is predicted to increase in many parts of the Arctic with climate change, yet little is known about the biogeochemical impacts of meltwaters on downstream freshwater ecosystems. Here we document the contemporary limnology of the rapidly changing glacierized watershed of the world's largest High Arctic lake (Lake Hazen), where warming since 2007 has increased delivery of glacial meltwaters to the lake by up to 10-times. Annually, glacial meltwaters accounted for 62-98% of dissolved nutrient inputs to the lake, depending on the chemical species and year. Lake Hazen was a strong sink for NO -NO , NH and DOC, but a source of DIC to its outflow the Ruggles River. Most nutrients entering Lake Hazen were, however, particle-bound and directly transported well below the photic zone via dense turbidity currents, thus reinforcing ultraoligotrophy in the lake rather than overcoming it. For the first time, we apply the land-to-ocean aquatic continuum framework in a large glacierized Arctic watershed, and provide a detailed and holistic description of the physical, chemical and biological limnology of the rapidly changing Lake Hazen watershed. Our findings highlight the sensitivity of freshwater ecosystems to the changing cryosphere, with implications for future water quality and productivity at high latitudes.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-39918-4