The northern coast of Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic is undergoing amplified warming that parallels the rapid decline in Arctic Ocean sea ice extent, and many lakes in this region have already shown changes in response to warming. However, biogeochemical data from High Arctic freshwaters are limited, and mostly restricted to the short, ice-free period. We sampled four coastal lakes in Stuckberry Valley (82° 54’ N, 66° 56’ W) before the onset of spring melting in 2017, 2018 and 2019, to assess biogeochemical gradients in their water columns and characteristics of their surface sediments. Despite their proximity, there were large differences in limnological properties. The two shallower lakes closer to the ocean were oxygen deficient while the two deeper, more distant lakes were more oxygenated. There were pronounced vertical gradients in major ions, metals and nutrients that suggested large differences in the extent of anaerobic microbial processes among the lakes. Morphometry and dissolved oxygen were the overriding determinants of biogeochemical differences rather than position along this short ocean-inland gradient. The diversity of limnological conditions, and the sensitivity of these characteristics to changes in ice cover, underlines the need for further study of under-ice processes in extreme northern lakes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.