T247 Lakes of the World through Time and Space: Archives of Climate Variability, Paleoenvironment, Geohazards, and Economic Resources (Posters)

Wednesday, 18 October 2023
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Hall B

DIATOM-INFERRED HYDROCLIMATE VARIABILITY IN MARL LAKE, WI OVER THE PAST 2,000 YEARS

Paper number: T247-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Hydroclimate variability in the Midwest region of the United States has increased over the past few decades, evidenced by increases in average precipitation and frequency of extreme hydroclimate events. Natural lakes in the Midwest are often effective archives of hydroclimate; many have been shown to respond directly to changes in both local and regional climate. We extracted a 4.5-meter sediment core, representing approximately 2,000 years of sediment accumulation, from the deepest part of Marl Lake (Waushara County, Wisconsin). For this study, we identified fossil diatoms from a 3.5-meter segment at 2.5 to 5-year resolution to document shifts in assemblages over time. Changes in the dominant diatom species of Marl Lake reflect important environmental changes such as lake-level fluctuations and changes in lake stratification. The diatom record indicates the lake experienced distinct wet periods in the past. These hydrologic shifts are evidenced by increases in the relative abundance of planktonic taxa including Lindavia michiganiana and Discostella pseudostelligera. Understanding natural climate variability in this region will help us better prepare and mitigate the risks associated with extreme hydroclimate variability. Robust, high-resolution hydroclimate records from the Midwestern United States are relatively sparse so expanding the number of millennial-scale records will provide policymakers with additional critical information needed for future planning.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 55, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2023AM-392982

© Copyright 2023 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.