Holomictic lake explained
Holomictic lakes are lakes that have a uniform temperature and density from surface to bottom at a specific time during the year, which allows the lake waters to mix in the absence of stratification.
Details
Holomictic lakes mix at least occasionally, in contrast to meromictic lakes.[1] Most lakes on Earth are holomictic; meromictic lakes are rare, although they may be less rare than commonly thought.[2] Amictic lakes are sealed off by ice and never mix.
There are five types of holomictic lakes:[3]
- Polymictic (mixing many times annually)
- Cold Monomictic (mixing once annually; exhibiting negative stratification)
- Warm Monomictic (mixing once annually; exhibiting positive stratification)
- Dimictic (mixing twice annually)
- Oligomictic (mixing less than once annually)
See also
External links
Notes and References
- 10.1139/f83-207 . Lewis . William M. Jr. . 1983 . A revised classification of lakes based on mixing . Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences . 40 . 10 . 1779–1787 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090306140542/http://cires.colorado.edu/limnology/pubs/pdfs/Pub058.pdf . 2009-03-06 .
- Hakala . A . Meromixis as a part of lake evolution; observations and a revised classification of true meromictic lakes in Finland. . Boreal Environment Research . 2004 . 9 . 1 . 37 .
- Kevern. Niles R.. King. Darrell L.. Ring. Robert. Lake Classification Systems - Part 1. The Michigan Riparian. 1996.
