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Significance Lakes can change dramatically following a slow change in conditions. They can abruptly shift from being oligotrophic to eutrophic or vice versa, in what is called a regime shift.… Click to show full abstract
Significance Lakes can change dramatically following a slow change in conditions. They can abruptly shift from being oligotrophic to eutrophic or vice versa, in what is called a regime shift. Despite the important consequences for ecosystems and human activities of abrupt shifts, we do not know how frequent they are or how they are distributed globally. To answer these questions, we analyze lake productivity dynamics of 1,015 lakes worldwide. Our results show few experienced regime shifts, yet the occurrence of observed regime shifts is increasing over time. Our analysis' global scope allows us to better understand the occurrence of regime shifts and the socioeconomic drivers associated with them. This knowledge will help manage lakes' response to global change.
Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year Published: 2022
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