EVPP550WaterscapeEcologyandManagement.pptVIP

EVPP 550Waterscape Ecology and Management Professor R. Christian Jones Fall 2007 Energy, Stratification, and Mixing What happens to the energy as the light is absorbed by the lake? 2nd law of thermodynamics state that all forms of energy eventually degrade to heat As heat is added to water, temperature of water increases Temperature of water determines its density and helps drive stratification Heat vs. Temperature Heat is the thermal energy content of a substance Heat is created from other energy forms such as light and chemical bonds The heat content of a substance is reflected in its temperature Heat flows from substances of higher temperature to those of lower temperature Stratification Stable stratification results when waters of differing densities are positioned vertically in order of their density In other words, more density (heavier) water lies below less dense (lighter) water Work is required to break down this density gradient Stability of stratification is the work required to uniformly mix a stratified lake Mixis Mixis is the state when the water body is mixed If the entire water body mixes on a regular basis, it’s called holomixic If only a portion normally mixes, its called meromictic If the water body never mixes, its called amictic Holomictic Lakes Dimictic (temperate) Lakes Stratification occurs in summer and winter Mixing periods occur in spring and fall Summer pattern Dimictic Lakes – Annual Cycle Seasonal heating and cooling Wind creating turbulence Dimictic Lakes – Annual Cycle Seasonal heating and cooling Wind creating turbulence Dimictic Lakes – Annual Cycle Note lakes regions defined by temperature profile Metalimnion: zone where temp changes at least 1oC per m Epilimnion: mixed layer above that Hypolimnion: fairly stagnant layer below that Dimictic Lakes – Annual Cycle In addition to the main thermocline forming the metalimnion, temporary thermoclines can form within the epilimnion due to diel heating and cooling Dimictic Lake – Annual