Diverse effects of accelerating climate change on chemical recovery of alpine lakes from acidic deposition in soil-rich versus scree-rich catchments

Abstract. The dynamic hydro-chemical Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments (MAGIC) was used to predict the response of 163 Finnish lake catchments to future acidic deposition and climatic change scenarios. Future deposition was assumed to follow current European emission reduction policies and a scenario based on maximum (technologically) feasible reductions (MFR). Future climate (temperature and precipitation) was derived from the HadAM3 and ECHAM4/OPYC3 general circulation models under two global scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC: A2 and B2). The combinations resulting in the widest range of future changes were used for simulations, i.e., the A2 scenario results from ECHAM4/OPYC3 (highest predicted change) and B2 results from HadAM3 (lowest predicted change). Future scenarios for catchment runoff were obtained from the Finnish watershed simulation and forecasting system. The potential influence of future changes in surface water organic carbon concentrations was also explored using simple empirical relationships based on temperature and sulphate deposition. Surprisingly, current emission reduction policies hardly show any future recovery; however, significant chemical recovery of soil and surface water from acidification was predicted under the MFR emission scenario. The direct influence of climate change (temperate and precipitation) on recovery was negligible, as runoff hardly changed; greater precipitation is offset by increased evapotranspiration due to higher temperatures. However, two exploratory empirical DOC models indicated that changes in sulphur deposition or temperature could have a confounding influence on the recovery of surface waters from acidification, and that the corresponding increases in DOC concentrations may offset the recovery in pH due to reductions in acidifying depositions.

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Examining the effects of climate change, acidic deposition, and copper sulphate poisoning on long-term changes in cladoceran assemblages

Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1007/s00027-012-0261-8 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 74 (4) ◽

pp. 781-792 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jennifer B. Korosi ◽

John P. Smol

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Copper Sulphate ◽

Acidic Deposition ◽

Long Term Changes

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Littoral macroinvertebrate communities of alpine lakes along an elevational gradient (Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria)

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0255619 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e0255619

Author(s):

Anne Bartels ◽

Ulrike G. Berninger ◽

Florian Hohenberger ◽

Stephen Wickham ◽

Jana S. Petermann

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

National Park ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Alpine Lakes ◽

Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽

Rocky Habitats ◽

Lake Size ◽

Habitat Parameters

Alpine lakes support unique communities which may respond with great sensitivity to climate change. Thus, an understanding of the drivers of the structure of communities inhabiting alpine lakes is important to predict potential changes in the future. To this end, we sampled benthic macroinvertebrate communities and measured environmental variables (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, nitrate, turbidity, blue-green algal phycocyanin, chlorophyll-a) as well as structural parameters (habitat type, lake size, maximum depth) in 28 lakes within Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, between altitudes of 2,000 and 2,700 m a.s.l. The most abundant macroinvertebrate taxa that we found were Chironomidae and Oligochaeta. Individuals of Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Tricladida, Trombidiformes, Veneroida were found across the lakes and determined to family level. Oligochaeta were not determined further. Generalized linear modeling and permanova were used to identify the impact of measured parameters on macroinvertebrate communities. We found that where rocky habitats dominated the lake littoral, total macroinvertebrate abundance and family richness were lower while the ratio of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) was higher. Zoo- and phytoplankton densities were measured in a subset of lakes but were not closely associated with macroinvertebrate abundance or family richness. With increasing elevation, macroinvertebrate abundances in small and medium-sized lakes increased while they decreased in large lakes, with a clear shift in community composition (based on families). Our results show that habitat parameters (lake size, habitat type) have a major influence on benthic macroinvertebrate community structure whereas elevation itself did not show any significant effects on communities. However, even habitat parameters are likely to change under climate change scenarios (e.g. via increased erosion) and this may affect alpine lake macroinvertebrates.

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Littoral benthic macroinvertebrates of alpine lakes (Tatra Mts) along an altitudinal gradient: a basis for climate change assessment

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-010-0139-5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 648 (1) ◽

pp. 19-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Zuzana Čiamporová-Zaťovičová ◽

Ladislav Hamerlík ◽

Ferdinand Šporka ◽

Peter Bitušík

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Alpine Lakes ◽

Change Assessment ◽

Tatra Mts ◽

Climate Change Assessment

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Biogeocaching – a scavenger hunt for the treasures of biology around Lake Lunz

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-7420 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Romana Hödl ◽

Katrin Attermeyer ◽

Laura Coulson ◽

Astrid Harjung

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Alpine Lakes ◽

Recreational Activity ◽

The Public ◽

Research Activities ◽

Freshwater Biology ◽

The Media ◽

Set Up ◽

Research Facilities

Climate change and decreasing biodiversity are currently hot topics in the media. Freshwaters in the alpine region are good indicators of climate change and, hence, perfect examples for illustrating these threats. Here, we want to share our idea for a Geocaching path (similar to the popular treasure hunt game) that is used to educate the public about the biology of freshwaters. We want to educate the visitors about the natural environment and the consequences of climate change and decreasing biodiversity for our aquatic ecosystems and livelihoods. In particular, we want to show the approaches of scientists to understand and predict these threats and, furthermore, how our society can find solutions to protect aquatic ecosystems.Lake Lunz is a very popular place for tourists. Visitors enjoy walks around the lake as well as swimming. Close by is also one of the oldest lake research stations (WasserCluster Lunz &#8211; Biologische Station), where scientists from all over the world are currently conducting on aquatic ecosystems. The project received funding from the EGU Public Engagement Grant in 2019. The GPS coordinates for the Geocache (a small treasure box) will be hidden in the answers to several questions about freshwater biology that will lead the participants around the lake, a search we termed &#8220;Biogeocaching&#8221;. The answers can be found on different informational signs that will be set up around the lake and at the experimental sites and research facilities of WasserCluster Lunz. After finishing the path, the participants will have learned about ecology of alpine lakes and the research activities at WasserCluster Lunz.We think that geocaching as a treasure hunt is a playful way for people of all ages to discover nature. The combination of an outdoor recreational activity with information about freshwaters, climate change, and decreasing biodiversity &#8211;Biogeocaching - will sensitize the public to and raise awareness of these hot topics in the field of Earth Sciences. We hope to encourage other researchers and research institutes to develop something similar on their topic and research.

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Implications of climate change for Daphnia in alpine lakes: predictions from long-term dynamics, spatial distribution, and a short-term experiment

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-011-0888-9 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 676 (1) ◽

pp. 263-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Janet M. Fischer ◽

Mark H. Olson ◽

Craig E. Williamson ◽

Jennifer C. Everhart ◽

Paula J. Hogan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Spatial Distribution ◽

Alpine Lakes ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Experiment ◽

Short Term Experiment

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The impacts of future climate change and sulphur emission reductions on acidification recovery at Plastic Lake, Ontario

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-4-3027-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 3027-3054

Author(s):

J. Aherne ◽

M. N. Futter ◽

P. J. Dillon

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Future Climate ◽

Low Flow ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Chemical Recovery ◽

Forested Catchments ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Emission Reductions ◽

The Future ◽

Plastic Lake

Abstract. Climate-induced drought events have a significant influence on sulphate export from forested catchments in central Ontario, subsequently delaying the recovery of surface waters from acidification. In the current study, a model chain that employed a statistical downscaling model, a hydrological model and two hydrochemical models was used to forecast the chemical recovery of Plastic Lake sub-catchment 1 (PC1) from acidification under proposed deposition reductions and the A2 emission scenario of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Any predicted recovery in stream acid neutralising capacity and pH owing to deposition reductions were clearly offset by large acid effluxes from climate-induced drought events. By 2100, ANC is predicted to show large variations ranging between 10 and −30 μmolc L−1. Similarly, predicted pH in 2100 is lower (>0.05 of a pH unit) than the value simulated for 2000 (pH 4.35). Despite emission reductions, the future scenario paints a bleak picture of reacidification at PC1 to levels commensurate with those of the late 1970s. The principal process behind this reacidification is the oxidation of previously stored (reduced) sulphur compounds in wetlands during periods of low-flow (or drought), with subsequent efflux of sulphate upon re-wetting. Simulated catchment runoff under the A2 emissions scenario predictes increased intensity and frequency of low-flow events from approximately 2030 onwards. The Integrated Catchments model for Carbon indicated that stream DOC concentrations at PC1 will also increase under the future climate scenario, with temperature being the principal driver. Despite the predicted (significant) increase in DOC, pH is not predicted to further decline (beyond the climate-induced oxidation scenario), instead pH shows greater variability throughout the simulation. As echoed by many recent studies, hydrochemical models and model frameworks need to incorporate the drivers and mechanisms (at appropriate time-scales) that affect the key biogeochemical processes to reliably predict the impacts of climate change.

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Modelling the impacts of European emission and climate change scenarios on acid-sensitive catchments in Finland

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-4-3209-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 3209-3248 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Posch ◽

J. Aherne ◽

M. Forsius ◽

S. Fronzek ◽

N. Veijalainen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Surface Water ◽

Organic Carbon ◽

Emission Reduction ◽

General Circulation ◽

General Circulation Models ◽

Chemical Recovery ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Temperature And Precipitation

Abstract. The dynamic hydro-chemical Model of Acidification of Groundwater in Catchments (MAGIC) was used to predict the response of 163 Finnish lake catchments to future acidic deposition and climatic change scenarios. Future deposition was assumed to follow current European emission reduction policies and a scenario based on maximum (technologically) feasible reductions (MFR). Future climate (temperature and precipitation) was derived from the HadAM3 and ECHAM4/OPYC3 general circulation models under two global scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC: A2 and B2). The combinations resulting in the widest range of future changes were used for simulations, i.e., the A2 scenario results from ECHAM4/OPYC3 (highest predicted change) and B2 results from HadAM3 (lowest predicted change). Future scenarios for catchment runoff were obtained from the Finnish watershed simulation and forecasting system. The potential influence of future changes in surface water organic carbon concentrations was also explored using simple empirical relationships based on temperature and sulphate deposition. Surprisingly, current emission reduction policies hardly show any future recovery; however, significant chemical recovery of soil and surface water from acidification was predicted under the MFR emission scenario. The direct influence of climate change (temperate and precipitation) on recovery was negligible, as runoff hardly changed; greater precipitation is offset by increased evapotranspiration due to higher temperatures. Predicted changes in dissolved organic carbon induced by reductions in acid deposition or increases in temperature may potentially influence the recovery of surface waters from acidification and may offset the increase in pH resulting from S deposition reductions. However, many climate-induced changes in processes are generally not incorporated in current versions of acidification models. To allow more reliable forecasts, the mechanisms by which climate changes affect key biogeochemical processes need to be incorporated directly into process-oriented models such as MAGIC.

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