The weather is changing. Meteorological patterns are changing. He Globe is heating – And that includes the great lakes.
The five Lagos of North America of interconnected fresh water attract a significant study in the summer, but they are not a magnet in the winter, and a group of scientists says that this should change as air and water temperatures increase, resulting in a shorter winter season.
As it is, almost all monitoring in the lakes is done during the spring, summer and autumn months when there is easier access to research ships and Teams like buoys.
But the season does not matter, an researcher says that it has been his experience that studying the great lakes is treated as a second class science.
“It is a bit more complicated to study the great lakes because they are very large and are not financed compared to the oceans,” said Marguerite Xenopoulos, one of the authors of a new report on addressing research gaps and improving winter science in large lakes.
He report Previously launched in May contours for Canadian and American governments what a group of environmental scientists says that it should happen later for winter research on large lakes.
An advisory board within the International Joint Commission (IJC), a binational organization that helps provide science -based advice to governments about cross -border river paths, wrote the document after two years of study.
It offers a look at why winter science and barriers to her are needed.
“Without winter science, we cannot obtain a complete image of the water quality of the great lakes. Winter data, especially long -term time series data, are necessary to better understand the impacts of changing the winter conditions in the health of the great lakes,” the authors say in Part of the IJC report.
Windsor tomorrow9:13Scientists point out that they need more “winter science” in the big lakes
Drew Gronewold is an associate professor at the School of Environment and Sustainability of the University of Michigan.
He says that the winter measurements of lakes are critical to save human lives and protect the ecosystem.
Currently, there are some resources dedicated to the problem: satellite information and the use of underwater temperature readers called thermistors anchored at the bottom of the lakes.
But, he says, more monitoring is needed throughout the year due to “dramatic” changes from January to summer months.
“Many large lakes worldwide do not suffer the type of seasonal changes in terms of temperature, ice formation, even what we would call heat content, is like the temperature integrated into the depths,” said Gronewold.
He points out ice In the winter and its impact on the evaporation that occurs in spring and summer, saying: “That can affect how much water levels decrease in the following autumn.”
Referring to him as a “master variable” of the great lakes, xenopoulos, professor of biology at the University of Trent and member of the IJC, says that the ice cover controls a series of factors, such as oxygen in the water.
Less ice can also cause warmer water and the greatest possibility of low levels of dissolved oxygen, known as hypoxia.
“Of course, fish does not like not [having] any oxygen. This is one of the reasons why we need to continue studying winter and connect it to summer conditions. “
The warmest winters not only affect the amount of ice in the lakes, but are also affecting the amount of water that flows, bringing more phosphorus, the most bioavailable nutrient, she says.
“Although it has not yet been directly linked, it could be a reason why we are now seeing more algae flowers in Upper lakeThat is really unexpected, “he said.” It is a very pristine lake. “
New Winter Science Study
Xenopoulos says that it is expensive to capture the spatial variability of large lakes and lakes require a lot of complicated infrastructure, even more in winter.
“The infrastructure is not necessarily there, so we need capabilities that break the ice to test … it is not safe, it requires special training.”
The greatest danger of winter science is another obstacle in the way of expanding surveillance, Xenopoulos said.
“Some of the first data we are looking for [at] Right now that we are going to publish soon it is demonstrating that there [are] More winter drowning than there are summer drowning. And it is because the ice may seem safe, but it is not. Ice is somewhat beautiful, but it is very dangerous. “
According to Xenopoulos, in the last five years or so there has also been an increase in winter limnology: the study of lakes and other freshwater bodies.
“For a long time we thought the lakes were inactive in winter. Life was still or sleeping. I think [partly] For that reason, winter was studied. “
Lake health monitoring, climate variation
Mike McKay says that winter is the season we know least, but the season changes more quickly.
However, the environmental researcher at the University of Windsor, who also sat in the IJC Advisory Panel for winter science, says there are already some examples of winter sampling, even with the use of the Rompehielos of the Coast Guard in the Windsor area, Ont.
He says that has been happening since 2009 and gives an idea of how the lake would look in the future.
“We get this extreme variability and with those low ice records that are happening at a higher frequency we are now beginning to see … a window to which many think it will be a future Erie lake without ice,” McKay told Windsor tomorrow Host Amy Dodge.
When the lakes such as Erie do not constantly freeze as they used to do it, Xenopoulos says that it can also result in more moisture in the air, resulting in the snow of the lake-effect.
“This can cause large ice snowfalls. Especially in areas like Buffalo … so it also is what to worry about.”
When the lakes freeze, Gronewold says they also serve as a barrier, protecting the coasts of coastal communities.
“When there is less ice in the winter, when these storms enter, erosion can exacerbate.”
According to Gonewold, the ice cover can also serve as a stabilizer to protect spawning habitats for white fish and other organisms.
Government science financing
The Canadians re -elected a liberal government in the recent federal elections, although a minority, although so far it is not clear what, in any case, that could mean for the financing of the investigation of the great lakes.
On the American side of the great lakes, hundreds of meteorological forecasts and other employees of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were allowed to go end of February.
McKay says that movements concern him about other potential cuts related to the science of Trump administration.
“Unfortunately, monitoring surveillance is often one of the first things that can be reduced when budgets are adjusted, especially when there is no big problem, a crisis, with which it is,” said McKay.
Gronewold says that scientific information in the IJC report depends largely on existing funds through federal agencies.
Xenopoulos says that he is trying to remain optimistic about future financing and winter monitoring: “We want to do it and want to collaborate.”
The physical scientist of IJC Matthew Child is also having hope when it comes to long -term progress in winter science.
“Consciousness has increased,” he said. “The project itself is something boring, but intellectual production … both in the agency and on the academic side, the capacity of the staff is developing and I think that many of us think it was quite encouraging.”
