Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warming

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Weyhenmeyer, Gesa A. ; Mackay, Murray ; Stockwell, Jason D. ; Thiery, Wim ; Grossart, Hans-Peter ; Augusto-Silva, Petala B. ; Baulch, Helen M. ; de Eyto, Elvira ; Hejzlar, Josef ; Kangur, Kuelli ; Kirillin, Georgiy ; Pierson, Don C. ; Rusak, James A. ; Sadro, Steven ; Woolway, R. Iestyn

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 7, MAR 6 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 10

Abstract

Citizen science projects have a long history in ecological studies. The research usefulness of such projects is dependent on applying simple and standardized methods. Here, we conducted a citizen science project that involved more than 3500 Swedish high school students to examine the temperature difference between surface water and the overlying air (T-w-T-a) as a proxy for sensible heat flux (Q(H)). If Q(H) is directed upward, corresponding to positive T-w-T-a, it can enhance CO2 and CH4 emissions from inland waters, thereby contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The students found mostly negative T-w-T-a across small ponds, lakes, streams/rivers and the sea shore (i.e. downward Q(H)), with T-w-T-a becoming increasingly negative with increasing T-a. Further examination of T-w-T-a using high-frequency temperature data from inland waters across the globe confirmed that T-w-T-a is linearly related to T-a. Using the longest available high-frequency temperature time series from Lake Erken, Sweden, we found a rapid increase in the occasions of negative T-w-T-a with increasing annual mean T-a since 1989. From these results, we can expect that ongoing and projected global warming will result in increasingly negative T-w-T-a, thereby reducing CO2 and CH4 transfer velocities from inland waters into the atmosphere. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/23594-8 - Remote sensing applications for modeling human impacts on the ecological properties of wetland and aquatic environments in the Solimões/Amazon floodplain
• Grantee: Evlyn Márcia Leão de Moraes Novo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants