Decadal changes in water temperature and ecological time-series in Lake Geneva, Europe - detecting relationships with the subtropical Atlantic climate variability.

Molinero, Juan Carlos, Anneville, O., Souissi, S., Lainé, L. and Gerdeaux, D. (2007) Decadal changes in water temperature and ecological time-series in Lake Geneva, Europe - detecting relationships with the subtropical Atlantic climate variability. Climate Research, 34 (1). pp. 15-23. DOI 10.3354/cr034015.

[thumbnail of Decadal_changes_in_water_temperature_and_ecologica.pdf]
Preview
Text
Decadal_changes_in_water_temperature_and_ecologica.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0.

Download (189kB) | Preview

Supplementary data:

Abstract

We investigated connections between subtropical Atlantic climate variability, atmospheric conditions in the European Alpine region (45 to 47° N and 5 to 8° E) and the interannual variability of the thermal conditions in the largest body of freshwater in Western Europe (Lake Geneva). The long-term water temperature was related to climate variability by means of a multivariate regression model. Results revealed atmospheric connections that have been elusive so far, and showed that over the period from 1959 to 2000, summer thermal conditions in Lake Geneva appear tightly linked to the long-term variability of the subtropical Atlantic climate. The multivariate model revealed high skills and tight correlations, which suggest the possibility of assessing future thermal changes in Lake Geneva from the Atlantic climate variability. The implications of such climatic forcing on the functioning of the pelagic ecosystem in Lake Geneva were illustrated by analysing the long-term changes in abundance of the summer-dominant carnivorous cladocerans Bythotrephes longimanus and Leptodora kindtii during the period 1974 to 2000. Again, the multivariate model revealed high skills and excellent correlations between the interannual changes in abundance of these species and the variability of summer climate. Our approach provides a general understanding of the interrelations between large- and regional-scale climates, local environmental conditions and the ecological responses in Lake Geneva during summer, and is therefore applicable to other retrospective studies.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Subtropical Atlantic climate; Western Europe lakes; Temperature; Zooplankton; Leptodora kindtii; Bythotrephes longimanus
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB3 Marine Ecology > FB3-EOE-N Experimental Ecology - Food Webs
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Inter Research
Projects: Future Ocean
Date Deposited: 03 Dec 2008 16:51
Last Modified: 21 Jan 2019 15:51
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7833

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item