Indicators for Climate Change Impacts - Lakes in temperate ecoregions, Shallow lakes
Water temperature effects on macrophytes
| Stressor type | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Responding parameter group | Biological parameters |
| Responding parameter | Water temperature effects on macrophytes |
Response description
Inter-annual variation in water temperature, especially early season warm temperatures, result in deeper macrophyte colonisation, greater wet weight biomass, and an increase in whole lake biomass.
Specification of relevant ecosystem type
Most pronounced in eutrophic shallow lakes.
Relevant ecoregion(s) according to Illies
Central (14) and Eastern Lowlands (16), UK (18), Carpathian (10), Central and Western Mountains (8 and 9)
Suggested indicator
Water temperature
Justification of indicator
The parameter is easy to record and often incorporated into routine monitoring programmes.
Reference(s)
Rooney, N. & J. Kalff (2000): Inter-annual variation in submerged macrophyte community biomass and distribution: the influence of temperature and lake morphometry. Aquatic Botany 68: 321-335.
