Lakes and Limnology

Abstract

Lakes are bodies of water that occupy depressions in the land surface created by natural geomorphic or biological processes, or by human activity. They are the focus of the field of limnology , which is the study of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of all inland waters, including fresh and saline lakes, streams, and wetlands, and of paleolimnology , which investigates lake sediments as archives of information on past climates and environments. Lakes contain less than 0.5% of all fresh water on Earth, but are significant for human wellbeing as sources of water, food, and economic and recreational activities, and as avenues for transport. They also contribute to biological diversity, supporting both aquatic and terrestrial biota, and may serve as sentinels of future climate and ecosystem change, just as their accumulated bottom sediments provide evidence of past changes in climates and environments resulting from natural processes and anthropogenic activities.