Wildfire smoke impacts lake ecosystems
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- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California Davis Davis California USA
- Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah USA
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group, School of the Environment Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada, Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency St. Paul Minnesota USA
- Universidade Do Estado de Minas Gerais (UEMG), Unidade Divinópolis Divinópolis Minas Gerais Brazil
- Department of Biology and Global Water Center University of Nevada Reno Nevada USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California Davis Davis California USA
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) Buenos Aires Argentina
- Department of Biology Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster Pennsylvania USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering/Tahoe Environmental Research Center University of California Davis Davis California USA
- Department of Land, Air and Water Resources University of California Davis Davis California USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder Colorado USA
- Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge Tennessee USA
- Department of Biology Queen's University Kingston Ontario Canada
- Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS)‐CONICET Bahía Blanca Buenos Aires Argentina, Departamento de Geografía y Turismo Universidad Nacional del Sur Bahía Blanca Buenos Aires Argentina
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Irvine Irvine California USA
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
- Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
Abstract Wildfire activity is increasing globally. The resulting smoke plumes can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers, reflecting or scattering sunlight and depositing particles within ecosystems. Several key physical, chemical, and biological processes in lakes are controlled by factors affected by smoke. The spatial and temporal scales of lake exposure to smoke are extensive and under‐recognized. We introduce the concept of the lake smoke‐day, or the number of days any given lake is exposed to smoke in any given fire season, and quantify the total lake smoke‐day exposure in North America from 2019 to 2021. Because smoke can be transported at continental to intercontinental scales, even regions that may not typically experience direct burning of landscapes by wildfire are at risk of smoke exposure. We found that 99.3% of North America was covered by smoke, affecting a total of 1,333,687 lakes ≥10 ha. An incredible 98.9% of lakes experienced at least 10 smoke‐days a year, with 89.6% of lakes receiving over 30 lake smoke‐days, and lakes in some regions experiencing up to 4 months of cumulative smoke‐days. Herein we review the mechanisms through which smoke and ash can affect lakes by altering the amount and spectral composition of incoming solar radiation and depositing carbon, nutrients, or toxic compounds that could alter chemical conditions and impact biota. We develop a conceptual framework that synthesizes known and theoretical impacts of smoke on lakes to guide future research. Finally, we identify emerging research priorities that can help us better understand how lakes will be affected by smoke as wildfire activity increases due to climate change and other anthropogenic activities.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 2373328
- Journal Information:
- Global Change Biology, Journal Name: Global Change Biology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 30; ISSN 1354-1013
- Publisher:
- Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
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