| Title | Multi-year trends and determinants of the hydrochemistry of high mountain lakes in the Western Italian Alps |
| Abstract | High mountain lakes (HML) provide essential ecosystem services, have tremendous conservation and aesthetic value, and are good model ecosystems to study the ecological consequences of global change. Multi-year (2008-2017) chemical data from 25 HML from the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Italian Alps) were used to address two specific objectives: (1) assess the major determinants of HML hydrochemistry; (2) identify any multi-years trend attributable to global change. Local trends in climatic variables and NO, NH, and SO deposition were evaluated over the same period as possible drivers of lake chemistry. We were able to explain most of the variance associated to the major ion concentration, but much less of that associated with nutrient content and with variables related to atmospheric deposition (e.g. Cl, Na, inorganic N). The explanation of which probably requires studies at a regional scale. As a whole, lake chemistry depends on the interplay of several environmental variables, including the impact of human activities (i.e. point source of organic pollutants). Catchment geology and vegetation cover influence several variables related to weathering processes, which show a general increase over the last 10 years. This general trend can be attributable to climatic variability enhancing weathering processes in lake catchments. However, a concomitant decrease of precipitation amount and the deposition of acidifying compounds may have contributed to the observed trends. Meteorological data were almost unrelated to HML hydrochemistry, suggesting that lake chemical composition would depend more strongly on long-term climatic variations rather than on short-term meteorological events. |
| Source | Aquatic sciences (Print. ed.) 81 (3) |
| Keywords | Atmospheric depositionGlobal changeGran Paradiso National ParkLocal impactsLong-term monitoring |
| Journal | Aquatic sciences (Print. ed.) |
| Editor | Birkhäuser, Basel, Svizzera |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00027-019-0650-3 |
| Authors | Tiberti, Rocco; Nelli, Luca; Marchetto, Aldo; Tartari, Gabriele; Wienckowski, Eric; Rogora, Michela |
| Text | 407793 2019 10.1007/s00027 019 0650 3 Scopus 2 s2.0 85068750195 ISI Web of Science WOS 000474360200001 Atmospheric deposition Global change Gran Paradiso National Park Local impacts Long term monitoring Multi year trends and determinants of the hydrochemistry of high mountain lakes in the Western Italian Alps Tiberti, Rocco; Nelli, Luca; Marchetto, Aldo; Tartari, Gabriele; Wienckowski, Eric; Rogora, Michela Universita degli Studi di Pavia; University of Glasgow; CNR Water Research Institute IRSA ; Alpine Wildlife Research Centre; New York State Task Force on Life amp; the Law High mountain lakes HML provide essential ecosystem services, have tremendous conservation and aesthetic value, and are good model ecosystems to study the ecological consequences of global change. Multi year 2008 2017 chemical data from 25 HML from the Gran Paradiso National Park Western Italian Alps were used to address two specific objectives 1 assess the major determinants of HML hydrochemistry; 2 identify any multi years trend attributable to global change. Local trends in climatic variables and NO, NH, and SO deposition were evaluated over the same period as possible drivers of lake chemistry. We were able to explain most of the variance associated to the major ion concentration, but much less of that associated with nutrient content and with variables related to atmospheric deposition e.g. Cl, Na, inorganic N . The explanation of which probably requires studies at a regional scale. As a whole, lake chemistry depends on the interplay of several environmental variables, including the impact of human activities i.e. point source of organic pollutants . Catchment geology and vegetation cover influence several variables related to weathering processes, which show a general increase over the last 10 years. This general trend can be attributable to climatic variability enhancing weathering processes in lake catchments. However, a concomitant decrease of precipitation amount and the deposition of acidifying compounds may have contributed to the observed trends. Meteorological data were almost unrelated to HML hydrochemistry, suggesting that lake chemical composition would depend more strongly on long term climatic variations rather than on short term meteorological events. 81 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85068750195 origin=inward Tiberti_etal_AqSci_2019 Versione pubblicata Tiberti2019_Article_Multi yearTrendsAndDeterminant.pdf Articolo in rivista Birkhauser 1015 1621 Aquatic sciences Print. ed. Aquatic sciences Print. ed. Aquat. sci. Print. ed. Aquatic sciences. Print. ed. aldo.marchetto MARCHETTO ALDO michela.rogora ROGORA MICHELA gabriele.tartari TARTARI GABRIELE |
