Temperature affects many aspects of a lake, including:
- The solubility of oxygen in water
- The rate of photosynthesis by algae and higher plants
- The metabolic rates of aquatic organisms
- The sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes, parasites and diseases
- Life cycle rates of aquatic insects
- Whether cold water species or warm water species are present
Considerable increases in water temperature may decrease cold-water species
(such as such as trout and stonefly nymphs), and increase large plant growth,
thereby contributing to eutrophication. |
