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Long-term trends in water temperature and ice cover in the subalpine lake, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and nearby lakes and rivers

  • Subalpine Lakes
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The subalpine lake ecosystem, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and its catchment: local and global changes over the last 50 years

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology 211 ((DIHY,volume 211))

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Abstract

Long-term data series of ice cover on lakes and river temperatures from the mountain areas of Norway are lacking. The present study analyses the last four decades of ice data from the subalpine lake, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and water temperature data from its outlet river, Hinøgla. These data are compared to water temperature data from three neighbouring, quite different locations, the glacier-fed rivers Leirungsåi and Sjoa, and the alpine lake, Bessvatn. The study also examines the air temperature/river temperature relationships, and the air temperature/ice freeze-up and break-up dates. During the months of July, August and September, the water temperature in Hinøgla was well correlated to the air temperature, but the correlation was poor in the remaining months due to the ice cover and snow conditions. A significant temperature increase of 2–3°C has been observed in Hinøgla in the months August–October since 1984. There were only minor changes in the duration of the ice cover season during the last 40 years, but a delay of 9 days was found in the freeze-up date and a delay of 6 days in the break-up date, although the latter was not significant.

Guest editors: J. E. Brittain & R. Borgstrøm / The subalpine lake ecosystem, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and its catchment: local and global changes over the last 50 years

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate, P.O. Box 5091, Majorstua, 0301, Oslo, Norway

    Ånund Sigurd Kvambekk & Kjetil Melvold

Authors
  1. Ånund Sigurd Kvambekk
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  2. Kjetil Melvold
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Correspondence to Ånund Sigurd Kvambekk .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Blindern, PO Box 1172, 0318, Oslo, Norway

    John E. Brittain

  2. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432, Ås, Norway

    John E. Brittain  & Reidar Borgstrøm  & 

  3. Norwegian Water Resources & Energy Directorate (NVE), Majorstua, PO Box 5091, 0301, Oslo, Norway

    John E. Brittain

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Kvambekk, Å.S., Melvold, K. (2010). Long-term trends in water temperature and ice cover in the subalpine lake, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and nearby lakes and rivers. In: Brittain, J.E., Borgstrøm, R. (eds) The subalpine lake ecosystem, Øvre Heimdalsvatn, and its catchment: local and global changes over the last 50 years. Developments in Hydrobiology 211, vol 211. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9388-2_5

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