Work

Climate Zones Modulate Deep Chlorophyll Maxima in Middle-Latitude Lakes via Thermocline Development

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Thermal stability is a key factor in determining the phenomena of deep chlorophyll maxima (DCM) in stratified lakes, as it mediates the vertical balance between light and nutrients required by phytoplankton. While it is well established that lake stratification is sensitive to latitude gradients, the ways in which thermal stability modulates DCM characteristics (i.e., depth, thickness, and concentration) and nutrient–chlorophyll relationships across different latitude classifications remain unclear. In this study, data on thermocline depth, DCM feature, and water quality parameters were collected from 88 globally distributed stratified lakes. Our findings indicate that (1) higher-latitude lakes exhibit strong thermoclines, with light and nitrogen serving as the primary drivers of thermal stratification; (2) in high-latitude lakes, surface chlorophyll a concentrations are more tightly linked to total phosphorus than that at DCM depth in low-latitude lakes; and (3) structural equation modeling (SEM) results demonstrate that higher-latitude lakes form shallower and thinner DCM structures, where low light levels contribute to reduced peaks in algal biomass. These findings provide valuable insights for the management of stratified lakes facing the dual pressures of climate change and eutrophication.

Source: Diversity

DOI: 10.3390/d18010046

Authors: Li Wang, Qichao Zhou, Yong Li, Xufa Ma

Institutions: Yangtze University, Yunnan University, Sichuan University, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University

Language: English

Topic: Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics

Subfield: Environmental Chemistry

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534