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Temporal and spatial trends of lake acidity in northern Sweden

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Abstract

Changes in lake-water pH, alkalinity and colour were inferred from diatoms in surface sediment samples and sediment samples from pre-industrial times from 118 northern Swedish lakes. This palaeolimnological study does not support the hypothesis that there is a large-scale modern acidification in the two northernmost counties of Sweden; pH had decreased significantly in eight lakes, while five had a significant increase. Partial least-squares regression of changes in water chemistry in relation to catchment characteristics was performed to evaluate the causes of the acidity status. Furthermore, temporal trends were assessed from long sediment cores from five acidic lakes. The results suggest that the presently acid lakes have faced a long-term acidification trend over several thousand years due to soil-forming processes and vegetation development. However, due to the acid sensitivity of the region, future acidification trends in northern Swedish lakes should be carefully observed and assessed.

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  1. Department of Environmental Health, Umeå University, S-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Tom Korsman

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Korsman, T. Temporal and spatial trends of lake acidity in northern Sweden. Journal of Paleolimnology 22, 1–15 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008003218065

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