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Trophic status of the largest freshwater lakes in the world
Author(s) -
Izmailova Anna V.,
Rumyantsev Vladislav A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
lakes and reservoirs: research and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.296
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1440-1770
pISSN - 1320-5331
DOI - 10.1111/lre.12123
Subject(s) - eutrophication , trophic level , temperate climate , environmental science , water quality , ecology , trophic state index , surface water , nutrient , biology , environmental engineering
The problem of lake eutrophication has been a relevant challenge for more than a century. Eutrophication has presently affected not only small‐sized and middle‐sized lakes, but most of the largest lakes in the world as well. The most rapid eutrophication has occurred for shallow water bodies in both tropical and temperate latitudinal zones. These processes are intensified by consistently high temperatures in tropical lakes, which contribute to accelerated biological processes. The eutrophication processes in deep lakes that contain large water volumes have mostly local impacts and primarily affect the shallow water zones. The dynamics of trophic status changes for the largest lakes in the world are discussed in this study, considering changes in the total water volumes characterizing different trophic categories that occurred during the period from 1950 to 2010. As the largest lakes are the most important reserves of surface fresh water on our planet, it is very important to have an understanding of the quality changes taking place in regard to this important water resource.