Mixing Is the Heartbeat of Deep Lakes. At Crater Lake, It's Slowing Down
6 days ago
- #lake-ecology
- #climate-change
- #long-term-research
- Scientists use a Secchi disc to measure water clarity in Crater Lake, Oregon, part of a long-term dataset since 1886.
- Crater Lake is the clearest large lake on Earth, with a vivid blue hue due to its pure water, but it's getting even clearer, which may indicate ecological changes.
- Climate change is altering lake mixing, a critical process for distributing oxygen and nutrients, with 84% of 189 temperate lakes showing increased stratification.
- Crater Lake's warming surface waters and thinning warm layer reduce phytoplankton, increasing clarity but disrupting ecological balance.
- Lake Tahoe's clarity has declined by nearly 40 feet since 1967 due to pollution and climate change, offering a cautionary tale for Crater Lake.
- Invasive crayfish in Crater Lake have exacerbated algae blooms and decimated native species like the Mazama newt.
- Collaborative research is essential to understand and mitigate climate impacts on lakes globally, but funding cuts threaten long-term monitoring programs like Crater Lake's.