NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Lake Malawi 700 Year TEX86 Surface Water Temperature Reconstruction

We have applied the TEX86 paleothermometer to produce a surface water temperature record for Lake Malawi spanning the past 700 years. Over much of the record temperature fluctuates from ~24-27°C with a mean of ~25°C; however, there has been a substantial increase in temperature of ~2.0°C during the past ~ 100 years. The TEX86 temperature record reveals a strong similarity to the instrumental record; both records demonstrate warming (~0.7-1.4°C) over the past ~50 years as well as a cooling anomaly around 1959. Comparison of the TEX86 temperature record with the proxy records of primary productivity suggests that wind induced upwelling and/or precipitation have a strong influence on the surface temperature of Lake Malawi.