Limnology

Methane is typically produced in lake sediments, with the rate of methane production being strongly temperature dependent. Future warming of bottom waters will likely result in an increase in methane production rates of 13%–40% by the end of the century, with many low-latitude lakes experiencing an increase of up to 17 times the historical (1970–1999) global average under RCP 8.5.

Under the high-greenhouse-gas-emission scenario, stratification will begin 22.0 ± 7.0 days earlier and end 11.3 ± 4.7 days later by the end of this century. It is very likely that this 33.3 ± 11.7 day prolongation in stratification will accelerate lake deoxygenation with subsequent effects on nutrient mineralization and phosphorus release from lake sediments. Further misalignment of lifecycle events, with possible irreversible changes for lake ecosystems, is also likely.