Water chemistry of lakes in Zackenbergdalen between 1997-2003, East Greenland

The ecology of arctic lakes is strongly influenced by climate-generated variations in snow coverage and by the duration of the ice-free period, which, in turn, affect the physical and chemical conditions of the lakes (Wrona et al., 2005, http://www.acia.uaf.edu/PDFs/ACIA_Science_Chapters_Final/ACIA_Ch08_Final.pdf). Most arctic lakes are characterised by a long period (8-10 months) of ice-cover, cold water and low algal biomass. The water temperature and nutrient concentrations, and most probably the nutrient input from the catchments, are closely related to the duration of snow- and ice-cover in the lakes. In years when the ice-out is late, - that is, in late July, - phytoplankton photosynthesis is limited by the lack of light and nutrients. Less food is then available to the next link in the food chain, such as copepods and daphnids, with implication on their growth rates.北极湖泊的生态系统深受气候驱动的积雪覆盖变化以及无冰期时长的强烈影响，而这些因素反过来又会调控湖泊的物理与化学环境（Wrona等，2005，http://www.acia.uaf.edu/PDFs/ACIA_Science_Chapters_Final/ACIA_Ch08_Final.pdf）。绝大多数北极湖泊具有长达8至10个月的冰封期、低温水体以及较低的藻类生物量这一典型特征。水体温度、营养盐浓度，且极有可能还包括流域输入的营养盐，均与湖泊的积雪与冰封覆盖时长密切相关。在融冰较晚的年份——即直至7月末才完成融冰——浮游植物的光合作用会因光照与营养盐的匮乏而受到抑制。此时可供食物链下一营养级（如桡足类与水蚤类生物）获取的食物量会减少，进而对其生长速率产生影响。