Response of Lacustrine Biota to Late Holocene Climate and Environmental Conditions in Northernmost Ungava (Canada)

Sediment cores from three lakes located in the northernmost region of Ungava, Québec (Canada) were examined to define aquatic community and ecosystem variability during the Late Holocene period. A chironomid-based transfer function was used to reconstruct August air temperature trends, and lacustrine primary production was inferred from sedimentary biogenic silica content and siliceous microfossil abundances. Trends in primary production, sediment organic matter content (estimated through loss on ignition), and chironomid-inferred temperature were compared to explore potential effects of environmental change on biotic assemblage composition at centennial to millennial time scales. Although no direct correlation between chironomid-inferred August air temperature and primary production was observed, we found indications that both chironomid and diatom communities were responding to the same overarching regional climatic and environmental processes. Over the last decade, northern Québec has been undergoing notable, rapid warming that contrasts with the relative inertia of the past few millennia. This study provides a baseline against which recent and future environmental changes in this region can be compared. Les archives sédimentaires couvrant la période de l’Holocène tardif ont été examinées dans trois lacs situés dans la région du nord de l’Ungava, au Québec (Canada). Un modèle d’inférence basé sur les assemblages de chironomides a été utilisé pour reconstruire la variabilité des températures de l’air du mois d’août, et la production primaire lacustre a été inférée par le contenu sédimentaire en silice biogénique et les abondances des microfossiles siliceux. Les variations historiques de la production primaire, du contenu organique du sédiment (évalué par la perte au feu) et les températures inférées ont été comparées afin d’explorer les effets potentiels des changements environnementaux sur la composition des assemblages à différentes échelles temporelles (centenaires à millénaires). Malgré le fait qu’aucune corrélation directe n’ait été observée entre les températures inférées en août et la productivité primaire, certaines indications suggèrent que les communautés de chironomides et de diatomées répondaient aux mêmes processus climatiques et environnementaux régionaux. Au cours de la dernière décennie, le nord du Québec a connu un réchauffement rapide et marqué, contrastant avec l’inertie relative des derniers millénaires. Cette étude fournit le scénario de référence par rapport auquel les changements environnementaux actuels et futurs pourront être comparés dans cette région

Long-Term Hydrologic Fluctuations and Dynamics of Primary Producers in a Tropical Crater Lake

Aquatic ecosystems in tropical regions remain understudied and their long-term dynamics poorly understood. In East Africa, a better understanding of how natural communities of primary producers in small freshwater ecosystems respond to climatic variability is needed to improve management and conservation of aquatic resources. This study explored the response of algae and bacteria communities to marked hydrological variation over the past 1,500 years in a small western Ugandan crater lake, Lake Nkuruba. We analyzed sedimentary algal and bacterial pigments to evaluate the magnitude and direction of change in the autotrophic community in response to severe climatic perturbations in the region. The lithology of the Lake Nkuruba sediment core indicated that external forcing in the form of a major drought, associated with the Medieval Climate Anomaly, caused a heavy, short-lived detrital pulse to the basin that led to a brief but substantial disruption of the lake system in the second half of the Thirteenth century. The system appears to have recovered rapidly, and then transitioned to a more productive state than the one preceding the drought. The considerable variation observed in the sedimentary pigment biomarkers is likely linked with climatically-induced changes in the water column structure of this small crater lake. Our results highlight the challenge of defining appropriate baselines or reference conditions in climatically-sensitive East African aquatic ecosystems and disentangling long-term anthropogenic impacts from the strong regional hydrological flux at the decadal to centennial scale

Late-Glacial Paleoecology of the Middle Susitna Valley, Alaska: Environmental Context for Human Dispersal

We present here the results of multi-proxy analyses (sediment geochemistry, diatoms, and pollen) from sediment cores collected at four lakes in the middle Susitna Valley, Alaska. These lakes form a transect from the tundra to the boreal forest. The retrieved cores span from ∼12,000 cal yr BP to the present, with age control provided by radiometric dates and tephra deposits, some of which are newly identified. Results indicate that deglaciation occurred before 12,000 cal yr BP and that by that time, the lakes were deep, productive, and surrounded by shrub tundra. The lake with the highest sampling resolution indicates a brief climatic reversal ∼11,500 cal yr BP with decreased diatom-inferred lake level and lowered lake productivity, and reduced shrub presence. During the early to middle Holocene, all of the sedimentary records provide evidence of climatic amelioration with tree expansion and productive lakes. A middle to late Holocene climatic deterioration with reduced trees and a shallower, less productive lake is also indicated. In addition, the prominent Watana tephra at ∼4,000 cal yr BP likely reduced lake productivity and affected the vegetation. Even though the region was relatively productive soon after deglaciation, people did not occupy the region until ∼11,000 cal yr BP, about 1000 years later, and then only sparsely. By the middle and late Holocene, the region was more densely populated and this shift in human occupancy presumably reflects changes in resource abundance, especially caribou. Whether the Watana ashfall influenced caribou abundance and thus people, is still under investigation, but given the tephra’s effect on vegetation and lake productivity, it seems likely

Deciphering long-term records of natural variability and human impact as recorded in lake sediments: a palaeolimnological puzzle

Global aquatic ecosystems are under increasing threat from anthropogenic activity, as well as being exposed to past (and projected) climate change, however, the nature of how climate and human impacts are recorded in lake sediments is often ambiguous. Natural and anthropogenic drivers can force a similar response in lake systems, yet the ability to attribute what change recorded in lake sediments is natural, from that which is anthropogenic, is increasingly important for understanding how lake systems have, and will continue to function when subjected to multiple stressors; an issue that is particularly acute when considering management options for aquatic ecosystems. The duration and timing of human impacts on lake systems varies geographically, with some regions of the world (such as Africa and South America) having a longer legacy of human impact than others(e.g. New Zealand). A wide array of techniques (biological, chemical, physical and statistical) is available to palaeolimnologists to allow the deciphering of complex sedimentary records. Lake sediments are an important archive of how drivers have changed through time, and how these impacts manifest in lake systems. With a paucity of ‘real‐time’ data pre‐dating human impact, palaeolimnological archives offer the only insight into both natural variability (i.e. that driven by climate and intrinsic lake processes) and the impact of people. Whilst there is a need to acknowledge complexity, and temporal and spatial variability when deciphering change from sediment archives, a palaeolimnological approach is a powerful tool for better understanding and managing global aquatic resources

First human impacts and responses of aquatic systems: a review of palaeolimnological records from around the world

Lake sediments constitute natural archives of past environmental changes. Historically, research has focused mainly on generating regional climate records, but records of human impacts caused by land use and exploitation of freshwater resources are now attracting scientific and management interests. Long-term environmental records are useful to establish ecosystem reference conditions, enabling comparisons with current environments and potentially allowing future trajectories to be more tightly constrained. Here we review the timing and onset of human disturbance in and around inland water ecosystems as revealed through sedimentary archives from around the world. Palaeolimnology provides access to a wealth of information reflecting early human activities and their corresponding aquatic ecological shifts. First human impacts on aquatic systems and their watersheds are highly variable in time and space. Landscape disturbance often constitutes the first anthropogenic signal in palaeolimnological records. While the effects of humans at the landscape level are relatively easily demonstrated, the earliest signals of human-induced changes in the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems need very careful investigation using multiple proxies. Additional studies will improve our understanding of linkages between human settlements, their exploitation of land and water resources, and the downstream effects on continental water

Global data set of long-term summertime vertical temperature profiles in 153 lakes

Climate change and other anthropogenic stressors have led to long-term changes in the thermal structure, including surface temperatures, deepwater temperatures, and vertical thermal gradients, in many lakes around the world. Though many studies highlight warming of surface water temperatures in lakes worldwide, less is known about long-term trends in full vertical thermal structure and deepwater temperatures, which have been changing less consistently in both direction and magnitude. Here, we present a globally-expansive data set of summertime in-situ vertical temperature profiles from 153 lakes, with one time series beginning as early as 1894. We also compiled lake geographic, morphometric, and water quality variables that can influence vertical thermal structure through a variety of potential mechanisms in these lakes. These long-term time series of vertical temperature profiles and corresponding lake characteristics serve as valuable data to help understand changes and drivers of lake thermal structure in a time of rapid global and ecological change

Global data set of long-term summertime vertical temperature profiles in 153 lakes

Measurement(s) : temperature of water, temperature profile Technology Type(s) : digital curation Factor Type(s) : lake location, temporal interval Sample Characteristic - Environment : lake, reservoir Sample Characteristic - Location : global Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14619009Climate change and other anthropogenic stressors have led to long-term changes in the thermal structure, including surface temperatures, deepwater temperatures, and vertical thermal gradients, in many lakes around the world. Though many studies highlight warming of surface water temperatures in lakes worldwide, less is known about long-term trends in full vertical thermal structure and deepwater temperatures, which have been changing less consistently in both direction and magnitude. Here, we present a globally-expansive data set of summertime in-situ vertical temperature profiles from 153 lakes, with one time series beginning as early as 1894. We also compiled lake geographic, morphometric, and water quality variables that can influence vertical thermal structure through a variety of potential mechanisms in these lakes. These long-term time series of vertical temperature profiles and corresponding lake characteristics serve as valuable data to help understand changes and drivers of lake thermal structure in a time of rapid global and ecological change

Paleolimnology as a Tool to Achieve Environmental Sustainability in the Anthropocene: An Overview

Lacustrine sediment accumulation provides meaningful and diverse long-term records of environmental change. This overview highlights the usefulness of the paleolimnological approach in evaluating the magnitude and direction of human-induced environmental change in lakes and their catchments. Because of the services they provide, freshwater ecosystems have always been significantly affected by human activities. However, the rate and extent of human-induced change in continental freshwaters and their catchments has considerably increased since the beginning of industrialization (mid-18th century), and are even more pronounced since the advent of the “Great Acceleration” (since the mid-20th century). Global change, including climate and landscape changes, loss of biodiversity, species introductions and the spread of pollutants, leave traces in lake sediment archives that provide valuable long-term information with which to evaluate and quantify past environmental changes. This paper outlines how the knowledge gleaned from an interdisciplinary paleolimnological approach can benefit the development of mitigation and adaptation measures to current global change at various latitudes

Isolation au postglaciaire d'un bassin côtier près de Kuujjuaraapik-Whapmagoostui, en Hudsonie (Québec) : une analyse biostratigraphique diatomifère

In order to retrace the successive postglacial isolation phases of a coastal lake located near Kuujjuaraapik-Whapmagoostui (eastern Hudson Bay), the diatom assemblages of a sediment core were analysed. The sedimentary sequence collected from Kachishayoot Lake shows three zones corresponding to paleoenvironmental changes brought about by isostatic rebound. Each zone is characterized by a contrasting sedimentology and fossil diatom assemblages. The transition from marine clays to gyttja and the evolution of the diatom assemblages, successively dominated by poly-mesohalobian, oligohalobian and finally halophobous species, documents the overall trend of decreasing salinity in the lake. Diatominferred alkalinity also decreased, most likely reflecting the change from a nutrient-rich to a nutrient-poor environment as the basin was isolated from the waters of the postglacial Tyrrell Sea and gradually purged of nutrients and major ions (dissolved inorganic carbon, Ca, Mg) from the carbonate weathering of glacial tills and marine clays. Chronological references obtained through AMS dating made it possible to evaluate sedimentation rates and the duration of the three different stages (marine conditions from 5400-4500 cal yr BP, isolation phase between 4500-1600 cal yr BP and modern lake phase since 1600 cal yr BP) of lake succession in the Kachishayoot Lake basin. This biostratigraphic study yields information about the evolution of the landscape in the southeastern Hudson Bay area following the retreat of the postglacial Tyrrell Sea about 5000 years ago.En vue de retracer les phases d'isolation postglaciaire d'un lac côtier situé près de Kuujjuaraapik-Whapmagoostui (baie d'Hudson), le contenu diatomifère d'une carotte de sédiments a été analysé. La séquence sédimentaire recueillie dans le lac Kachishayoot démontre trois unités de changements paléoenvironnementaux provoqués par le relèvement isostatique postglaciaire. Ces unités se distinguent entre elles par une sédimentologie et des assemblages fossiles de diatomées contrastants. Le passage de l'argile marine à la gyttja et l'évolution des assemblages diatomifères successivement dominés par des espèces poly-mésohalobes, oligohalobes, puis halophobes, démontrent bien les effets de la salinité décroissante sur le milieu aquatique. De plus, les valeurs décroissantes d'alcalinité calculées par l'intermédiaire d'une fonction de transfert (basée sur les assemblages de diatomées) reflètent le passage d'un environnement riche à un environnement pauvre en nutriments lors de l'isolation du bassin lacustre des eaux de la Mer postglaciaire de Tyrrell. Le recyclage graduel de ses eaux a ainsi éliminé les nutriments et les ions majeurs (carbone inorganique dissous, Ca, Mg) issus du délavement du till et des argiles marines. La datation, par spectrométrie de masse à l'aide d'un accélérateur de particules (SMA) de matériel provenant de la carotte a permis d'évaluer le taux de sédimentation et d'estimer la durée des trois différentes étapes de la succession lacustre dans le bassin du lac Kachishayoot (conditions marines de 5400-4500 ans cal. BP, phase d'isolation entre 4500-1600 ans cal. BP et la phase lacustre depuis 1600 ans cal. BP). Cette étude biostratigraphique fournit aussi des indices quant à l'évolution du paysage dans le sud de l'Hudsonie par suite du retrait de la Mer postglaciaire de Tyrrell, il y a environ 5000 ans.Die fossilen Diatomeen eines Sedimentkerns wurden untersucht, um den postglazialen Isolationsprozeß eines küstennahen Sees zu rekonstruieren. Die Sedimente stammen aus einem Becken im Gebiet der östlichen Hudson Bay, etwa 10 km nördlich von Kuujjuaraapik-Whapmagoostui gelegen. Basierend auf sedimentologischen und biostratigraphischen Analysen konnten drei Entwicklungsphasen differenziert werden: Der Übergang vom Meeresbecken zum Süßwassersee zeigt sich in der Abfolge Meereston-Gyttja und der damit einhergehenden Sukzession poly-mesohalober, oligohalober und schließlich halophober Gattungen, bedingt durch abnehmenden Salzgehalt. Die von einer Diatomeentransferfunktion hergeleiteten Alkalinitätswerte weisen ebenfalls auf den Isolationsprozeß des Beckens vom marinen Einfluß des Tyrellmeers hin. Die zeitliche Abfolge der Umweltverä nderungen wurde mittles AMS Datierungen von Pflanzenmaterial ermittlet. Auf diese Weise ergab sich die Dauer jeder Entwicklungsphase des Kachishayoot-Sees wie folgt: eine Meerphase von etwa 5400- 4500 cal. Jahre v.u.Z., eine Isolationsphase zwischen etwa 4500-1600 cal. Jahre v.u.Z. und seit etwa 1600 cal. Jahre v.u.Z., Süßwasserbedingungen. Diese biostratigraphische Untersuchung liefert Informationen über die Änderung der Landschaften im Gebiet der südöstlichen Hudson Bay nach dem Rückzug des postglazialen Tyrrellmeers vor etwa 5000 Jahren