Isotope stratification of meromictic Lake Trekhtzvetnoe at the White Sea coast (Russia)

Abstract

Postglacial isostatic uplift of the coastal zone resulted in the formation of isolated lakes along the shores of White Sea developed into permanently stratified (meromictic) lakes. On the basis of monitoring the vertical distribution of selected water quality parameters including temperature, salinity, concentration of major ions, microbial activity, dissolved oxygen and hydrogen sulfide, seasonal changes in the structure of the stratified water column are explored and governing factors identified. Lake Trekhtzvetnoe has a strong vertical stratification with seasonal mixing being confined to the upper part of the water column (mixolimnion). Сhemical water composition in the mixolimnion reflects the influence of precipitation with the underlying chemocline being defined by sharp gradients of salinity, dissolved oxygen and hydrogen sulphide levels. We found strong stable isotope stratification of water column in winter-early spring seasons of 2013, 2015 and 2016 and in the early autumn of 2015. The lowest isotope values were obtained near the surface in the mixolimnion. There was a gradual increase of isotope values towards the chemocline reaching the maximum in the bottom layer (monimolimnion). It was found that water in the mixolimnion was isotopically depleted in winter as a result of ice formation and isotopically enriched in the early autumn due to evaporation. Obvious desalination of mixolimnion and upper chemocline from 2012 to 2016 was possibly caused by the increase of precipitation and freshwater inflow in lake supply. Monimolimnion is a stable layer of high salinity, and it has enriched isotope composition that corresponds with meromictic structure of water column.