White Sea meromictic lakes as rich archives of paleoenvironmental change

Climate change is ever increasingly threatening global lake ecosystems1. It is predicted that approximately 16% of lakes worldwide will see a reduction in their mixing regime and become permanently stratified (meromictic) as a result of climate change by 2100AD2. Within the Arctic and subarctic, climate change has seen a shift in the lakes' thermal and hydrological regimes, directly affecting their biodiversity and productivity 1,23. It is, therefore, imperative to understand how these lakes will respond to future climatic change and how this will affect overall lake productivity. This study will, therefore, examine existing meromictic lakes within the White Sea region and reconstruct their response to past climate change, in order to develop our understanding of how lakes may respond under future climate change.

Research Questions

1. How have the presently meromictic (permanently stratified) lakes of the White Sea evolved over the Holocene?
2. Is there any stratigraphic evidence of rapid deglaciation within the White Sea region being attributed to a rapid rise in temperatures over the mid-late Holocene?
3. Is there any stratigraphic evidence of sea level change recorded throughout the Holocene?