Seasonal Mixing Regime of Eurasian Lakes: How Resistant is it to Climate Variability and Water Use?
Presenter
Dr.
Georgiy
Kirillin
Leibniz-Institute
of
Freshwater
Ecology
and
Inland
Fisheries,
Berlin,
Germany
Abstract
Recent findings from several lake regions of Eurasia—Mid-Europe, Central Asia, Tibet, and Eurasian Arctic—are discussed to reveal the typical features of their mixing regimes and major threats from the anthropogenic activities and global warming. The continental climate ensures high annual amplitudes in the heat supply; hence the majority of lakes, either in the Arctic or in Central Asia, tend to display dimictic behavior, being well mixed at least twice a year. However, salinization of arid lakes, the trend of warmer winters in temperate regions, and deepening of Arctic lakes due to permafrost thaw can produce quick and drastic changes in the lake mixing regimes.