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Limnological characteristics of lakes located across arctic treeline in northern Russia

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Abstract

Limnological data (e.g., water chemistry, lakewater temperature, vegetation zone and degree of human impact) were collected from lakes spanning the Russian arctic treeline in three regions: on the Taimyr Peninsula and near the mouth of the Lena River, both in central arctic Siberia, and near the mouth of the Pechora River, western arctic Russia. Pearson correlation and canonical variates analyses revealed similar environmental gradients in all three regions. Variables expressing ionic composition of the water (i.e., cations, anions, dissolved inorganic carbon and conductivity) were highly intercorrelated, as were nutrients, chlorophyll a, particulate organic matter and metal (i.e., Fe and Mn) concentrations. Lakewater transparency was related to water colour (i.e., Fe, Mn and dissolved organic carbon) and productivity. Regional differences among the lakes were strong and appeared to reflect differences in geology, hydrology and human impact. For example, Na and Cl concentrations were related to proximity to the ocean in the Lena and Pechora River regions but not in the more inland Taimyr region. Extensive mining and smelting at Norilsk, on the Taimyr Peninsula, has apparently resulted in elevated major ion and metal concentrations in lakes closer to the city. Surface water temperatures, nutrients, and related variables were particularly useful for distinguishing lakes in different vegetation biomes. Forest lakes were typically warmer, with slightly elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Lakes in the forest–tundra zone often had higher concentrations of particulate organic matter, Fe and Mn. Tundra lakes were characterized by low nutrient and DOC concentrations. These data will facilitate the development of models that predict the outcome of future climatic change on arctic and subarctic aquatic ecosystems, as well as provide baseline data for future limnological studies in these remote regions.

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  1. Katharine E. Duff, Tamsin E. Laing & John P. Smol

    Present address: Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory (PEARL), Dept. Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada

    Katharine E. Duff, Tamsin E. Laing & John P. Smol

  2. Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory (PEARL), Dept. Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada

    David R. S. Lean

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  1. Katharine E. Duff
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  4. David R. S. Lean
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Duff, K.E., Laing, T.E., Smol, J.P. et al. Limnological characteristics of lakes located across arctic treeline in northern Russia. Hydrobiologia 391, 203–220 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003542322519

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