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Diel Surface Temperature Range Scales with Lake Size.
R Iestyn Woolway1,2,3, Ian D Jones1, Stephen C Maberly1
1Lake Ecosystems Group, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|March 30, 2016
Summary
Small lakes experience significant daily temperature swings, impacting aquatic ecosystems. These diel temperature ranges are substantial in summer and increase with smaller lake size.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Limnology
- Climate Science
Background:
- Lake ecological and biogeochemical processes are temperature-dependent.
- Long-term lake surface warming is documented, but diel (daily) temperature variations are less understood due to data limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the pattern and magnitude of diel surface water temperature variability.
- To investigate the relationship between lake size and diel temperature fluctuations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-frequency temperature data from 100 lakes.
- Analyzed near-surface water temperature patterns across diel timescales.
Main Results:
- Diel temperature ranges in summer can be substantial compared to long-term warming trends.
- For lakes smaller than 3 km², diel temperature range increases sharply with decreasing lake area.
- Most small lakes studied showed average summer diel ranges of 4–7°C.
Conclusions:
- Significant diel temperature fluctuations in most lakes impact aquatic ecosystem structure and function.
- The full implications of large diel temperature variations on lake biogeochemical cycles require further exploration.
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