Historical Evidence of Fluctuations in the Level of Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México over the Last 600 Years

A variety of historical sources have been used to determine fluctuations in the level of Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México. These changes closely reflect variations in precipitation and evaporation and provide a record of climatic change in central México over the last 600 years. The period 1380 to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Geographical journal 1993-03, Vol.159 (1), p.51-62
Main Author: O Hara, Sarah L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Climate
Climate change
Climate models
Freshwater
Lakes
Lakeshores
Level curves
Limnology
Mexico
Paleoclimatology
Precipitation
Rain
Watersheds
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Summary:A variety of historical sources have been used to determine fluctuations in the level of Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México. These changes closely reflect variations in precipitation and evaporation and provide a record of climatic change in central México over the last 600 years. The period 1380 to 1520 was characterized by rising lake levels associated with wetter climatic conditions. A shift to drier conditions during the post-Conquest period resulted in a drop in lake level, with two very low stands in the mid-1800s and the 1940s. This record adds to and supports other historical information which suggests that central México has experienced brief, yet significant, climatic fluctuations during historical times.
ISSN:0016-7398
1475-4959
DOI:10.2307/3451489