Citizen science shows systematic changes in the temperature difference between air and inland waters with global warmingShow others and affiliations
2017 (English)In: Scientific Reports, ISSN 2045-2322, E-ISSN 2045-2322, Vol. 7, article id 43890
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
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.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP , 2017. Vol. 7, article id 43890
National Category
Oceanography, Hydrology and Water Resources Climate Research
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-320259DOI: 10.1038/srep43890ISI: 000395736900001PubMedID: 28262715OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-320259DiVA, id: diva2:1089222
Funder
EU, Horizon 2020, 643052Swedish Research Council, 2016-04153Knut and Alice Wallenberg FoundationGerman Research Foundation (DFG), GR1540:/21-12017-04-192017-04-192018-01-13Bibliographically approved