Stable isotope mass balance of lakes: a contemporary perspective

Abstract

The theoretical basis for application of stable isotope mass balance of lakes is described for a range of climatic situations including low latitude, high latitude, high altitude, continental and coastal systems, as well as cases where the atmospheric boundary layer is significantly modified by the lake evaporation process. The effects of seasonality on isotopic offset between precipitation and atmospheric vapour and the slope of the local evaporation line are described. Atmospheric feedback and its role in labelling the isotopic composition of the Laurentian Great Lakes and tropical lakes is discussed. Several important considerations are suggested to improve parameterization of quantitative paleoclimatic reconstructions including use of assumptions that are appropriate for the climatic setting, for the atmospheric feedback situation, for salinity, and headwater setting. Potential for use of dual-isotopes to trace past changes in seasonality and input, and a dual-lake index method that can potentially be used to trace connectivity of lakes are presented. In cases where modern or paleo-evaporation systems may be under-defined there are inherent limitations in the degree of quantification that can be attained.