Globally, lake surface water temperatures have warmed rapidly relative to air temperatures, but changes in deepwater temperatures and vertical thermal structure are still largely unknown. We have compiled the most comprehensive data set to date of long-term (1970–2009) summertime vertical temperature profiles in lakes across the world to examine trends and drivers of whole-lake vertical thermal structure. We found significant increases in surface water temperatures across lakes at an average rate of + 0.37 °C decade−1, comparable to changes reported previously for other lakes, and similarly consistent trends of increasing water column stability (+ 0.08 kg m−3 decade−1). In contrast, however, deepwater temperature trends showed little change on average (+ 0.06 °C decade−1), but had high variability across lakes, with trends in individual lakes ranging from − 0.68 °C decade−1 to + 0.65 °C decade−1. The variability in deepwater temperature trends was not explained by trends in either surface water temperatures or thermal stability within lakes, and only 8.4% was explained by lake thermal region or local lake characteristics in a random forest analysis. These findings suggest that external drivers beyond our tested lake characteristics are important in explaining long-term trends in thermal structure, such as local to regional climate patterns or additional external anthropogenic influences.

Ecological stoichiometry is concerned with the ratios of different elements, particularly carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Ratios by their nature do not respond symmetrically to changes in the numerator and denominator and do not follow normal distributions; however, researchers frequently fail to consider these properties in their analyses, which has biased reported results. Calculating means, variance, or linear slopes based on untransformed ratios results in biased results. I demonstrate the consequences of these errors for inferences from stoichiometric analyses using simple examples and several large monitoring data sets. I then review 100 studies in ecological stoichiometry and find that misuse of ratio data is common, with 93% of studies containing at least one error. These errors may be problematic, particularly in large‐scale meta‐analyses summarizing data over large ranges. Fortunately, most of these mistakes can be easily avoided by first log transforming elemental ratios. I therefore recommend that, to ensure robust and reproducible results, researchers in ecological stoichiometry should adopt a convention of presenting stoichiometric ratio data as the logarithm of molar ratios in the future. The widespread use of untransformed nitrogen to phosphorus ratio as an indicator of nutrient limitation has likely exaggerated the importance of phosphorus limitation, particularly in freshwater systems.

Decreasing duration and occurrence of northern hemisphere ice cover due to recent climate warming is well-documented; however, biogeochemical dynamics underneath the ice are poorly understood. We couple time-series analyses of water column and sediment water interface (SWI) geochemistry with hydrodynamic data to develop a holistic model of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and phosphorus (P) behavior underneath the ice of a shallow eutrophic freshwater bay. During periods of persistent subfreezing temperatures, a highly reactive pool of dissolved and colloidal Fe, Mn, and P develops over time in surface sediments and bottom waters due to reductive dissolution of Fe/Mn(oxy)hydroxides below the SWI. Redox dynamics are driven by benthic O2 consumption, limited air-water exchange of oxygen due to ice cover, and minimal circulation. During thaw events, the concentration, distribution and size partitioning of all species changes, with the highest concentrations of P and "truly dissolved" Fe near the water column surface, and a relatively well-mixed "truly dissolved" Mn and "colloidal" Fe profile due to the influx of geochemically distinct river water and increased circulation. The partitioning and flux of trace metals and phosphorus beneath the ice is dynamic, and heavily influenced by climate-dependent physical processes that vary in both time and space.

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms have become ubiquitous, posing major threats to ecological and public health. Decades of research have focused on understanding drivers of these blooms with a primary focus on eutrophic systems; however, cyanobacterial blooms also occur in oligotrophic systems, but have received far less attention, resulting in a gap in our understanding of cyanobacterial blooms overall. In this review, we explore evidence of cyanobacterial blooms in oligotrophic freshwater systems and provide explanations for those occurrences. We show that through their unique physiological adaptations, cyanobacteria are able to thrive under a wide range of environmental conditions, including low‐nutrient waterbodies. We contend that to fully understand cyanobacterial blooms, and thereby mitigate and manage them, we must expand our inquiries to consider systems along the trophic gradient, and not solely focus on eutrophic systems, thus shifting the high‐nutrient paradigm to a trophic‐gradient paradigm.

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