Paleolimnology: an important tool for effective ecosystem management

Abstract

Effective management of aquatic resources requires long-term environmental data. However, because long-term observations are rarely available, indirect proxy methods must be used to substitute for these missing historical data sets. Major advances have been made in paleohmnology over the last decade, and many of these advances can be applied directly to integrated and cost-effective assessments of aquatic ecosystem health. This commentary uses the analogy of human health to argue that paleolimnological data provide information crucial to the decision-making processes of ecosystem managers."We possess nothing certainly except the past" EVELYN WAUGtt (1945) Brideshead Revisited

Long‐term trends in eutrophication and nutrients in the coastal zone

“…Smol 1992;Anderson 1995;Hall and Smol 1999) or dynamic models. Anderson (1995) focuses on the possibility of using paleoecology to validate empirical and dynamic models used for hindcasting or forecasting water quality variables.…”

Distribution and Autecology of Chrysophyte Cysts from High Arctic Svalbard Lakes: Preliminary Evidence of Recent Environmental Change

“…In order to better understand the nature and extent of environmental change, it is necessary to determine the environmental conditions that existed prior to substantial anthropogenic impact (Smol 1992). High Arctic lakes and ponds respond rapidly to slight changes in environmental conditions (Douglas and Smol 1999).…”

Sedimentological and Paleoecological Research Techniques, with Applications to the Environmental History of Loboi Swamp, Kenya

“…The upper part of Unit III, section 76 cm -90 cm has the lowest MS values despite the presence of coarser sand grains. This might be as a result of the increase in organic-matter content within The increase of organic matter between 76 cm -88 cm depicts an environment under which organic matter deposited in the swamp would not possibly decompose and hence the better preservation that creates high values of organic matter content [2]. A high flooding scenario can create an anoxic condition on the bottom that reduces decomposition of the plant material.…”

“…The use of the variety of biological and geochemical indicators found preserved in lake sediments have proved vital in reconstruction of past environmental change, and more so past climate patterns [2]. Paleolimnological techniques are powerful also due to the fact that they centralise (integrate) information brought in from a large region of landscape surrounding the wetlands and deeper water bodies.…”