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

0479808 - BC 2018 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Weyhenmeyer, G. A. - Mackay, M. - Stockwell, J. D. - Thiery, W. - Grossart, H. P. - Augusto-Silva, P. B. - Baulch, H. M. - de Eyto, E. - Hejzlar, Josef - Kangur, K. - Kirillin, G. - Pierson, D. C. - Rusak, J. A. - Sadro, S. - Woolway, R. I.
Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warming.
Scientific Reports. Roč. 7, March (2017), č. článku 43890. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-13750S
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : dissolved organic-carbon * transfer velocity * energy fluxes * lake * evaporation
OECD category: Hydrology
Impact factor: 4.122, year: 2017

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.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0275737