TORONTO, March 17, 2015 - A group of York University investigators and their international counterparts have jointly created a database of lake surface temperatures, to help study ecological effects of climate change.
"There has been a significant need to put together a database like this, considering the rapid warming of lakes," observes Professor Sapna Sharma in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science who led the international effort.
As part of the Global Lake Temperature Collaboration (GLTC) project, Sharma and several of her undergraduate students, Anam Qudrat and Samantha Stefanoff, gathered a database of summer-mean lake surface temperature for 291 lakes and reservoirs around the world, including data collected from 1985 to 2009.
"Previously there were only satellite collected data available globally and we have doubled the data through in situ programs such as the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network and long-term monitoring programs, which collect data from visiting these locations," Sharma adds.
Eighty two researchers from more than 20 countries were involved in the effort that began in 2011. They collected data from major lakes in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Oceanic region.
The database provides information such as air temperature, solar radiation and cloud cover that define climate, and geomorphometric characteristics including latitude, longitude, elevation, depth and volume, which may influence lake temperature.
"Our plan is to include additional lakes, longer time periods, and vertical temperature profile data," says Sharma, adding, "This unique, global dataset will offer an invaluable perspective on lake thermal conditions in this ever-changing global climate."
The GLTC group's article summarizing the project was published today, March 17, in Nature's Scientific Data journal.
###
York University is helping to shape the global thinkers and thinking that will define tomorrow. York U's unwavering commitment to excellence reflects a rich diversity of perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility that sets us apart. A York U degree empowers graduates to thrive in the world and achieve their life goals through a rigorous academic foundation balanced by real-world experiential education. As a globally recognized research centre. York U is fully engaged in the critical discussions that lead to innovative solutions to the most pressing local and global social challenges. York U's 11 faculties and 25 research centres are thinking bigger, broader and more globally, partnering with 280 leading universities worldwide. York U's community is strong ? 55,000 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, and more than 275,000 alumni.
Media Contact: Gloria Suhasini, York University Media Relations, 416 736 2100 ext. 22094, suhasini@yorku.ca
Journal
Scientific Data