General Features of the Arctic Relevant to Climate Change in Freshwater Ecosystems

Large variations exist in the size, abundance and biota of the two principal categories of freshwater ecosystems, lotic (flowing water; e.g., rivers, streams, deltas and estuaries) and lentic (standing water; lakes, ponds and wetlands) found across the circumpolar Arctic. Arctic climate, many compon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ambio 2006-11, Vol.35 (7), p.330-338
Main Authors: Prowse, Terry D., Wrona, Frederick J., Reist, James D., Hobbie, John E., Lévesque, Lucie M. J., Vincent, Warwick F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Aquatic ecosystems
Aquatic environment
Arctic Regions
Biota
Chemicals
Climate change
Cold Climate
Creeks & streams
Deltas
Ecological effects
Ecology
Ecosystem
Environmental conditions
Estuaries
Food Chain
Fresh Water
Freshwater
Freshwater ecology
Freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater ice
Groundwater
Headwaters
Hydrologic systems
Ice
Influence
Lakes
Lentic systems
Marine environment
Permafrost
Precipitation
Radiation
Regions
River deltas
Rivers
Snow
Snow accumulation
Special Issue
Streams
Summer
Surface water
Temperature
Wetlands
Winter
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Summary:Large variations exist in the size, abundance and biota of the two principal categories of freshwater ecosystems, lotic (flowing water; e.g., rivers, streams, deltas and estuaries) and lentic (standing water; lakes, ponds and wetlands) found across the circumpolar Arctic. Arctic climate, many components of which exhibit strong variations along latitudinal gradients, directly affects a range of physical, chemical and biological processes in these aquatic systems. Furthermore, arctic climate creates additional indirect ecological effects through the control of terrestrial hydrologic systems and processes, particularly those associated with cryospheric components such as permafrost, freshwater ice and snow accumulation/ablation. The ecological structure and function of arctic freshwater systems are also controlled by external processes and conditions, particularly those in the headwaters of the major arctic rivers and in the adjacent marine environment. The movement of physical, chemical and biotic components through the interlinked lentic and lotic freshwater systems are major determinants of arctic freshwater ecology.
ISSN:0044-7447
1654-7209
DOI:10.1579/0044-7447(2006)35[330:GFOTAR]2.0.CO;2