Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura C. Streib, Jeffery R. Stone, Eva C. Lyon, Hung H. Quang, Kevin M. Yeager, Susan R. H. Zimmerman, Michael M. McGlue
Summary: This study analyzed lake sediment records from the eastern Sierra Nevada over the past three millennia to reveal ecological changes driven by hydroclimate oscillations. Results showed that hot-dry conditions of the Industrial Era altered lake state, leading to profound impacts on high-elevation lakes and the ecosystem services they provide.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chaohua Yin, Min Luo, Fanhao Meng, Chula Sa, Zhihui Yuan, Yuhai Bao
Summary: The actual net primary productivity (ANPP) of the Mongolian Plateau (MP) from 2000 to 2019 was estimated using a modified Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The study found that the ANPP of vegetation on the MP has been steadily increasing, with human activities playing a significant role in vegetation restoration.
Article
Ecology
Vijaykumar Bejagam, Ashutosh Sharma
Summary: This study used remote sensing-based observations and statistical analysis to analyze the impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on ecosystem net primary productivity (NPP) in India. The results showed that precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation were the main factors influencing NPP. Human-influenced ecosystems experienced an increasing trend in NPP, while natural ecosystems showed a decreasing trend. Overall, NPP in India increased during the study period.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Conghui Xie, Shixin Wu, Qingwei Zhuang, Zihui Zhang, Guanyu Hou, Geping Luo, Zengyun Hu
Summary: This study used the vegetation photosynthesis model to analyze the spatiotemporal variations in net primary productivity (NPP) in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2019. The results showed that both anthropogenic activities and climate change had a positive impact on NPP, with land use transformation and precipitation being the main drivers. Overall, climate change had a greater contribution to NPP variation than anthropogenic activities, but in areas with anthropogenic activities, they had a greater influence.
Article
Water Resources
Li Jin, Paul G. Whitehead, Gianbattista Bussi, Feyera Hirpa, Meron Teferi Taye, Yosef Abebe, Katrina Charles
Summary: The study in the Awash River Basin in Ethiopia addresses the issue of elevated salinity and degradation of water quality, caused by natural factors and human activities like discharge from Lake Beseka. Modeling results show that Lake Beseka significantly contributes to salinity rise in the Awash River, and continued human interference could lead to a 200% increase in chloride levels in the near future downstream of the lake. This highlights the importance of long term planning for proper water resource management in regions lacking resources and economic capacity.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jia Zhou, Tao Lu
Summary: This study analyzed the vegetation dynamics and driving factors of 42 national nature reserves on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that climate change and human activities have significant contributions to the variation in vegetation dynamics. Understanding these impacts is important for policymakers.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junjie Jia, Yang Gao, Boqiang Qin, Jennifer A. J. Dungait, Yong Liu, Yao Lu, Kun Shi, Guirui Yu
Summary: Anthropogenically-driven climate change has impacted the growth of phytoplankton in global lake systems, leading to widening differences in waterbody gross primary productivity (WGPP). Median WGPP in global inland lake systems has significantly decreased, with high control by chrysophytes in high-latitudinal regions and dominance by diatoms, cyanobacteria, and chlorophytes in low-latitudinal regions. The contribution of dominant and sub-dominant phytoplankton communities is crucial to WGPP. Regulating environmental conditions to promote phytoplankton community diversity and competition is important for maintaining ecological balance, environmental health, and the carbon cycle in global lake systems.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunli Li, Yonghui Li, Xinwei Li, Li Ma, Yuanming Xiao, Chunhui Zhang
Summary: The study found that nitrogen (N) addition significantly promoted plant aboveground biomass in alpine grassland ecosystems, with a stronger response in restored grasslands compared to natural grasslands. In addition, the results suggested that climate warming could enhance plant biomass allocation to belowground under ongoing N deposition and highlighted the importance of precipitation for plant growth and aboveground biomass accumulation in restored alpine grasslands.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wu Han, Enlou Zhang, Weiwei Sun, Qi Lin, Xianqiang Meng, Zhenyu Ni, Dongliang Ning, Ji Shen
Summary: Lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been experiencing environmental pressures from climate change and human activity. This study examined the environmental and ecological changes of Lake Yamzhog Yumco over the past three decades. The results showed a continuous and accelerated eutrophication process in the lake since 2004, mainly caused by anthropogenic emissions from the catchment. The study also found that aquatic communities in the lake responded sensitively to the increased nutrient supply.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Meng Zhang, Naiquan Yuan, Hui Lin, Yang Liu, Huaiqing Zhang
Summary: Wetlands are important ecosystems and play a crucial role in carbon balance. This study assessed the changes in vegetation net primary productivity (NPP) in the Dongting Lake wetland area using an improved model and algorithm. The results showed a significant increasing trend in wetland vegetation NPP, with different contributions from climate and human activities.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Cecilia Barouillet, Marie-Eve Monchamp, Stefan Bertilsson, Katie Brasell, Isabelle Domaizon, Laura S. Epp, Anan Ibrahim, Hebah Mejbel, Ebuka Canisius Nwosu, John K. Pearman, Mailys Picard, Georgia Thomson-Laing, Narumi Tsugeki, Jordan Von Eggers, Irene Gregory-Eaves, Frances Pick, Susanna A. Wood, Eric Capo
Summary: This article reviews the literature on the application of sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) in studying historical changes in lake biodiversity and identifies eutrophication, climate change, community homogenization, and invasive species as key research themes. The review highlights the potential of sedDNA in revealing the response of lake biota to anthropogenic stressors and offers new perspectives for ecosystem management, conservation, and restoration.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arash Modaresi Rad, Jason Kreitler, John T. Abatzoglou, Kendra Fallon, Kevin R. Roche, Mojtaba Sadegh
Summary: Inland lakes, such as the Hamun Lakes on the Iran-Afghanistan border, are experiencing unprecedented recesesion and desiccation due to climatic and anthropogenic stresses. This study found that direct human activities, including agricultural irrigation and water storage, played a major role in the desiccation of the lakes, in addition to the impact of climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Myriam R. Hirt, Andrew D. Barnes, Alessandro Gentile, Laura J. Pollock, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Wilfried Thuiller, Marlee A. Tucker, Ulrich Brose
Summary: Habitat loss is a critical driver of global biodiversity decline, with global climate gradients affecting animal space requirements and human pressure reducing realized space use, especially for large carnivores. Human pressure drives extinction risk by increasing the mismatch between space requirements and availability, with climate gradients offering a tool for predicting future extinction risk.
Article
Remote Sensing
Sangeeta Sarmah, Mrinal Singha, Jinsong Wang, Jinwei Dong, Pramit Kumar Deb Burman, Santonu Goswami, Yong Ge, Sana Ilyas, Shuli Niu
Summary: Vegetation greening in South Asia has a significant trend, but the increase in gross primary production is weaker, primarily due to disturbances in cropland activities. The most irrigated and fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain of South Asia showed significant greening, but the trend in gross primary production was non-significant. Both climatic and anthropogenic stresses negatively impacted regional gross primary production, especially in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiangming Tang, Guijuan Xie, Jianming Deng, Keqiang Shao, Yan Hu, Jian He, Jianping Zhang, Guang Gao
Summary: Arid and semiarid regions play a vital role in the development and sustainability of local societies, and understanding the impact of environmental changes and anthropogenic activities on water resources is crucial. This study focuses on Lake Bosten in NW China and reveals the long-term trends in water level and salinity, showing the influence of both human activities and climate change. The findings emphasize the importance of monitoring and managing aquatic environmental changes for the balance between socioeconomic development and ecological protection.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Euan D. Reavie, Meijun Cai, Carsten Meyer-Jacob, John P. Smol, Josef P. Werne
Summary: Multiple geochemical indicators analyzed in sediment cores from the Laurentian Great Lakes basin provide clear records of ancient algal production and cultural eutrophication. Indicators such as loss-on-ignition (organic and inorganic content) and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio were strongly associated with periods of human settlement and catchment activities. Chlorophyll a and ΔC-13 (org) emerged as reliable trend indicators, particularly in Lake Erie.
JOURNAL OF PALEOLIMNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Thomas M. Evans, Zachary S. Feiner, Lars G. Rudstam, Doran M. Mason, James M. Watkins, Euan D. Reavie, Anne E. Scofield, Lyubov E. Burlakova, Alexander Y. Karatayev, W. Gary Sprules
Summary: This study uses size spectra analysis (SSA) to detect changes in food webs and finds seasonal differences and the impact of benthic organisms on the slopes. The results suggest that SSA is a valuable tool for ecosystem monitoring.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pierre Vequaud, Alexandre Thibault, Sylvie Derenne, Christelle Anquetil, Sylvie Collin, Sergio Contreras, Andrew T. Nottingham, Pierre Sabatier, Josef P. Werne, Arnaud Huguet
Summary: The study developed a new global terrestrial brGDGT temperature calibration using a machine learning algorithm. This improved model is more accurate and robust than previous global soil calibrations, and takes into account non-linear relationships to better represent environmental complexity.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth E. Alexson, Euan D. Reavie, Bart van de Vijver, Carlos E. Wetzel, Luc Ector, Holly A. Wellard Kelly, Meagan N. Aliff, Lisa R. Estepp
Summary: This study investigates the taxonomy of the genus Fragilaria in the Laurentian Great Lakes by analyzing several needle-shaped diatoms. The researchers used scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy to conduct morphometric analysis on collected samples. The study resolves taxonomic problems and identifies new species in the Great Lakes.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Molly D. O'Beirne, Robert Sparkes, Trinity L. Hamilton, Bart E. van Dongen, William P. Gilhooly, Josef P. Werne
Summary: Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are a diverse class of bacterial lipids that have the potential to serve as biomarkers for specific microbes, microbial processes, and environmental conditions. In this study, BHPs were analyzed in samples from the water column and upper sediments of Mahoney Lake in Canada. The distributions of BHPs varied in different water layers and environmental conditions. The study also revealed that BHPs in Mahoney Lake are most likely produced by bacteria belonging to Deltaproteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetia, and Verrucomicrobia.
ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Euan D. Reavie
Summary: This monograph provides descriptions and taxonomy of diatom taxa from various genera, including some previously undescribed ones, found in periphytic and surface sediment samples in the coastal ecosystems of the Laurentian Great Lakes. It presents light micrographs of diatom taxa in 207 samples from 106 different locations in the Great Lakes, characterizing 148 taxa. Additionally, it examines the lake and habitat specificity, modeled optima for phosphorus and chloride, and tolerance to coastal anthropogenic stressors of 36 common species.
Article
Geography, Physical
Yanwu Duan, Qing Sun, Josef P. Werne, Juzhi Hou, Huan Yang, Qiang Wang, Farhad Khormali, Dunsheng Xia, Guoqiang Chu, Fahu Chen
Summary: This study examines the impact of temperature and precipitation on the distribution of archaeal isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (iGDGTs) in soil transects in Arid Central Asia (ACA). The results show that mean annual air temperature (MAAT) is the main driver of the distribution of soil iGDGTs, and the TEX86 proxy exhibits a significant positive correlation with MAAT. Furthermore, changes in archaeal community structure are detected in the soil samples, confirming the influence of temperature on the distribution of iGDGTs.
GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lawrence M. Zanko, Euan D. Reavie, Sara P. Post, Stephen Monson D. Geerts, George J. Hudak, Meijun Cai
Summary: The deposition of inhalable and respirable airborne particulate matter in lake sediments provides a record of the minerals and chemicals present in the air at the time. Elongate mineral particles (EMPs) are of special interest due to their potential health impacts. Mining activities contribute to the atmospheric load of these particles. Lake sediments from Minnesota's iron mining district were analyzed to understand the historical presence of EMPs and other geochemical indicators related to human development. The results show that mining activities increased the presence of EMPs in the air, potentially increasing the risk of asbestos-related diseases.
JOURNAL OF PALEOLIMNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Katya E. Kovalenko, Euan D. Reavie
Summary: Taxonomic opinion bias is a common issue in ecological studies of highly diverse organisms. This study used long-term phytoplankton data to evaluate the effects of taxonomic bias on ecological metrics and found that several important indicators were mostly unaffected. This provides recommendations for acceptable levels of taxonomic bias.
Article
Geography, Physical
Euan D. Reavie, Katya E. Kovalenko, Mark B. Edlund, Joy M. Ramstack Hobbs
Summary: By examining the diatom record from 109 lakes, we found that the diatom assemblages went through four periods of reorganization, and were impacted by stressors such as agriculture or climate change. Shallow and deep lakes showed variations in their taxonomic character and historical changes in diatom assemblages, but the amount of change was not specifically related to contemporary agricultural or in-lake nutrient status. Lake depth is a major factor in determining how lakes respond to stressors and manifest changes in primary producers. Lake- or ecoregion-specific considerations will continue to inform lake management. The recent reorganization of diatom assemblages is likely the result of multiple concurrent stressors including climate change and non-native species infestations.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Brittany R. Kruger, Josef P. Werne, Elizabeth C. Minor
Summary: Little is known about carbon cycling in East African rift lakes. This study investigates carbon isotopic information in sediment and water from Lake Malawi, providing insights into carbon sources and diagenesis processes in these tropical systems. The results indicate that sedimentary organic matter is modern, with offshore sites showing an aquatic origin while nearshore sediments are influenced by terrestrial material. Lipids in nearshore sediments are aged and have undergone significant diagenesis, likely due to soil erosion, river processing, sediment resuspension, and preferential degradation of younger organic matter in the oxic nearshore region.
ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dmitri Perlov, Euan D. Reavie, Roberto Quinlan
Summary: The central basin of Lake Erie experiences annual hypolimnetic hypoxia, which has negative impacts on biochemical processes and aquatic biota. Water quality in the lake has deteriorated due to various factors including land-use changes, cultural eutrophication, climate change, and invasive species. Paleolimnological methods were used to study long-term trends in hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen since historical monitoring data is limited. The study found that changes in lake water quality have affected benthic community composition, with the severity and duration of hypolimnetic anoxia increasing in recent decades. Both land use and climate variables were identified as significant drivers of these changes.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Euan D. Reavie
Summary: This study presents a taxonomic account and characterization of light micrographs of diatom taxa from the Laurentian Great lakes. A total of 154 taxa were identified, including both known and tentatively named or assigned ones. Lake and habitat specificity, optima for phosphorus and chloride, and tolerance to anthropogenic stressors were described for 39 common taxa.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Molly D. O'Beirne, Wesley P. Scott, Josef P. Werne
Summary: Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are membrane-spanning lipids produced by bacteria that are ubiquitous in natural sedimentary archives and preserved over geologic timescales. They can serve as a powerful proxy for paleotemperature reconstruction, but recent studies have shown the need for regional temperature calibration models. In this study, we analyzed lake sediment samples from across the globe and identified significant clusters of brGDGT distributions. We developed cluster-specific temperature models and a cluster prediction model with high accuracy. Applying this approach to published lacustrine records, we highlighted the limitations and pitfalls of brGDGT-based temperature reconstructions.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Tushar Adsul, Molly D. O'Beirne, Santanu Ghosh, Josef P. Werne, Devleena Mani, Sudip Bhattacharyya, Atul Kumar Varma
Summary: The Paleogene coals from the Jaintia, Khasi, and the Garo hills of Meghalaya, India, were studied for biomarker distributions, carbon isotope signatures, and Rock-Eval pyrolysis to determine their organic matter source, depositional environment, thermal maturity, and hydrocarbon generation potential. The results indicate the presence of sulfur-rich organic matter with mixed gymnosperm-angiosperm input. The presence of specific compounds suggests shifts in paleovegetation, and variations in thermal maturity were also observed.
ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY
(2023)