Evidence of eutrophication in Arctic lakes

Lakes and ponds are dominant components of Arctic landscapes provide food water for northern communities. In the Greiner Lake watershed, in Cambridge Bay (Nunavut, Canada), bodies small (84% <5 ha) shallow (99% <4 m deep). Such characteristics make them vulnerable to eutrophication as temperatures rise nutrient concentrations from greening landscape increase. Here, we investigated compared 35 lakes watershed August 2018 2019 determine their current trophic states based on chemical composition phytoplankton The had higher status than lakes, but overall, most sites were oligotrophic. ERA5, located upstream any direct human influence was classified eutrophic due high total phosphorus (32.3 ?g·L ?1 ) a proportion Cyanobacteria (42.9% biovolume). Satellite imagery suggests lake may have been last 30 years. We hypothesize that coupled effects catchment elevated local snow accumulation patterns promote leaching rates soils. recommend further analysis monitoring could become more widespread with ongoing climate change associated increases temperature, precipitation, catchment–lake coupling.