Modification of climate signals by human activities recorded in varved sediments (AD 1608–1942) of Lake Holzmaar (Germany)

Paleolimnological data from varved sediments in Lake Holzmaar (Eifel, Germany) were combined with documentary data on human activities, long-term data from the Historical Climate Database (HISKLID) for Germany and with recent monitoring data to evaluate changes in deposition that arose from climatic and human influences. The sediment data included seasonal layer thickness in an established varve chronology (1608–1942 AD), subannual chemical element counts, and multiannual organic matter data (TOC, TN, δ¹³C_org), all combined on an annual scale. Indicators for detritus deposition (lithogenic element counts and detritus layers) determined the first principal component (PC1) of the sediment data. This detritus PC1 was compared to the first PCs of the seasonal precipitation and temperature from HISKLID. While no relation was found to precipitation, the correlation with the temperature PC1 determined by spring to fall temperatures was significant. From 1608 to 1870, a positive correlation of the PCs suggests an increase of detritus deposition in the lake center with increasing non-winter temperatures. These may be linked by lake-internal sediment redeposition that increases when the periods of winter stratification become shorter and that of lake circulation longer. The detritus deposition is modulated by external detritus input depending on the intensity of erosion-conducive land use (wood pasture, wood cutting, and rotational slash-and-burn cultivation). Detritus input diminished when land use slowed down with population decrease as the consequence of plague epidemics, warfare and emigration. After 1870, forest regeneration and improving agricultural practices led to a stabilization of the catchment. Erosion and detritus deposition decreased progressively. The negative correlation of detritus deposition with the gradually increasing temperature presumably mimics a cause-effect relation, although a link with decreasing freeze–thaw action is possible. The modernization of agriculture proceeded with manuring and fertilizing, which caused an increase of lake productivity as indicated by summer blooms of diatoms with enhanced nutrient demand, increased δ¹³C_org values and sulfur concentrations. Within this well established data base we found combinations of criteria that may be used to deduce natural climatic or anthropogenic influences. The quantitative attribution of these influences remains a challenging task in paleolimnology because their interaction makes the detection of linking mechanisms difficult even at high degree of detail and the processes themselves remain debatable.     

10Be and solar activity cycles in varved lake sediments, AD 1900–2006

Annually resolved terrestrial ¹⁰Be archives other than those in polar ice sheets are heretofore unexplored sources of information about past solar activity and climate. Until now, it has proven difficult to find natural archives that have captured and retained a ¹⁰Be production signal, and that allow for annual sampling and contain sufficient ¹⁰Be for AMS measurement. We report the first annually resolved record of ¹⁰Be in varved lake sediments. The record comes from Lake Lehmilampi, eastern Finland, which lies at 63°37′N, 29°06′E, 95.8 m a.s.l. The focus on the last 100 years provided an unprecedented opportunity to compare sediment ¹⁰Be data with annual ice core, neutron monitor and sunspot number data. Results indicate successful recovery of ¹⁰Be atoms from as little as 20 mg sediment. Sediment ¹⁰Be accumulation rates suggest control by solar activity, manifested as a reflection of the 11-year Schwabe solar cycle and its amplitude variations throughout the investigated period. These results open the possibility of using varved lake sediment ¹⁰Be records as a new proxy for solar activity, thus providing a new approach for synchronization of paleoclimate events worldwide.     

Comparison between chironomid-inferred July temperatures and meteorological data AD 1850–2001 from varved Lake Silvaplana,Switzerland

Inferred temperatures from chironomids preserved in the varved sediment of Lake Silvaplana in the Eastern Swiss Alps were compared with instrumental data obtained from a meteorological station in Sils-Maria, on the shore of Lake Silvaplana, for the time interval 1850–2001. At near-annual resolution, the general patterns of chironomid-inferred temperature changes followed the meteorological record over the last ∼150 years (r _Pearson = 0.65, P = 0.01) and 87% of the inferences had deviations from the instrumental data below the root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP). When the inferences were compared with a 2-year running mean in the meteorological data, 94% of the inferences had differences with the instrumental data below the RMSEP, indicating that more than half of the inaccurate inferences may have been due to errors in varve counting. Larger deviations from the instrumental data were also obtained from samples with low percentages of fossil taxa represented in the training set used for temperature reconstruction and/or assemblages with poor fit to temperature. Changes in total phosphorus (TP, as inferred by diatoms) and/or greater precipitation were possible factors affecting the accuracy of the temperature reconstruction. Although these factors might affect the quantitative estimates, obtaining >80% accurate temperature inferences suggests that chironomid analysis is a reliable tool for reconstructing mean July air temperature quantitatively over the last ∼150 years in Lake Silvaplana.     

The misrepresentation of the planktonic diatom assemblage in traps and sediments: southern Lake Malaŵi,Africa

Sediment trap collections near Cape Maclear, Lake Malai, were compared to phytoplankton and surface sediment diatoms to assess taphonomic variations. The sedimenting diatom community became progressively different from the diatom plankton with increasing depth: long Nitzschia species were strongly under-represented in the traps (annually, 53% among planktonic diatoms vs. 14% in the offshore 29 m trap; p0.005 by Kruskal-Wallis test), while Melosira was greatly over-represented in traps (32% vs. 57%; p<0.005). The abundances of the minor taxa (Rhopalodia, Fragilaria, Cymbella, and Surirella) were greatly enhanced in traps relative to the plankton, but they were still relatively uncommon (<3% of all diatoms each). Differences in grazing, dissolution, and sinking rates alone are insufficient to account for these distortions; a combination of these, plus perhaps unknown factors, strongly influence the deposited assemblage.These misrepresentations were also present at the sediment surface. The greatest discrepancy was noted for Melosira (32% of plankton vs. 53% of sediment surface diatoms; p<0.005) and for elongate Nitzschia species (53% of plankton vs. 0.8% in sediments; p<0.005). In Lake Malai, at least, paleolimnologists must not assume a straightforward correlation of modern and fossil assemblages.     

Geochemical processes in a Mediterranean Lake: a high-resolution study of the last 4,000 years in Zoñar Lake,southern Spain

High-resolution geochemical analysis of a 6-m-long sediment core from Zoñar Lake, southern Spain, provides a detailed characterization of major changes in lake and watershed processes during the last 4,000 years. Geochemical variables were used as paleolimnological indicators and complement Zoñar Lakes’s paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on sedimentological and biological proxies, which define periods of increasing allochthonous input to the lake and periods of dominant autochthonous sedimentation. Chemical ratios identify periods of endogenic carbonate formation (higher Ca/Al, Sr/Al and Ba/Al ratios), evaporite precipitation (higher S/Al, Sr/Al ratios), and anoxic conditions (higher Mo/Al, U/Th ratios and Eu anomaly). Higher productivity is marked by elevated organic carbon content and carbonate precipitation (Mg/Ca). Hydrological reconstruction for Zoñar Lake was based on sedimentological, mineralogical and biological proxies, and shows that lower lake levels are characterized by Sr-rich sediments (a brackish lake with aragonite) and S-rich sediments (a saline lake with gypsum), while higher lake levels are characterized by sediments enriched in elements associated with alumino-silicates (Al, K, Ti, Fe, trace and rare earth elements), reflecting fresher conditions. Geochemical indicators also mark periods of higher detrital input to the lake related to human activity in the watershed: (1) during the Iberian Roman Humid Period (650 BC–AD 300), around the onset of the Little Ice Age (AD 1400), during the relatively drier Post-Roman and Middle Ages (AD 800–1400), and over the last 50 years, due to mechanized farming practices. Heavy metal enrichment in the sediments (Cu and Ni) suggests intensification of human activities during the Iberian Roman Period, and the use of fertilizers during the last 50 years.     

Holocene records of carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of organic matter in annually laminated sediments of Lake Korttajärvi, central Finland

An 11.6 m long continuous succession of annually laminated sediments from Lake Korttajärvi in central Finland was investigated for the isotopic composition of carbon and hydrogen in organic matter. The sequence covers a time period of 9590 years, and the varve chronology has been thoroughly described in earlier studies. From 7100 to 4400 BC the lake was part of the Ancient Lake Päijänne, but in 4400 BC it became separated and formed the present independent lake system. Two organic fractions were investigated. One fraction obtained by HCl-treatment was analyzed for δ¹³C and another HCl-HF-digested organic fraction was analyzed for both δ¹³C and δD. The isotopic data were compared to atomic C/N ratios, carbon contents, diatom-inferred pH values and other environmental parameters. The diatom-inferred pH values and organic carbon contents provide evidence for a long-term change towards more acidic conditions and lower productivity in Lake Korttajärvi. The inferred pH values decrease from 7.0 to 6.1, followed by a slight increase during the last millennia. Variations in pH are accompanied by an increase in the δ¹³C_HCl-HF values of organic matter from ?31.6 to $-29.2\permilleAn 11.6 m long continuous succession of annually laminated sediments from Lake Korttaj?rvi in central Finland was investigated for the isotopic composition of carbon and hydrogen in organic matter. The sequence covers a time period of 9590 years, and the varve chronology has been thoroughly described in earlier studies. From 7100 to 4400 BC the lake was part of the Ancient Lake P?ij?nne, but in 4400 BC it became separated and formed the present independent lake system. Two organic fractions were investigated. One fraction obtained by HCl-treatment was analyzed for δ¹³C and another HCl-HF-digested organic fraction was analyzed for both δ¹³C and δD. The isotopic data were compared to atomic C/N ratios, carbon contents, diatom-inferred pH values and other environmental parameters. The diatom-inferred pH values and organic carbon contents provide evidence for a long-term change towards more acidic conditions and lower productivity in Lake Korttaj?rvi. The inferred pH values decrease from 7.0 to 6.1, followed by a slight increase during the last millennia. Variations in pH are accompanied by an increase in the δ¹³C_HCl-HF values of organic matter from −31.6 to , followed by a subtle decrease to . The changes in pH and δ¹³C_HCl-HF are closely related (r = − 0.91, P < 0.01), and apparently reflect changing environmental conditions in the lake and in its catchment area. δD values show a marked shift to higher values during the early Holocene, which may be partly related to a climatic amelioration leading to the Holocene Climatic Optimum in 6000–2500 BC. The Medieval Warm Period in AD 980–1250 is associated with a local maximum in δD, lending support for a significant warming during that time.     

Changes in the biota and sediments of glacial Lake Koźmin, Poland, during the late Saalian (Illinoian)

Upper Saalian (Illinoian) glaciolacustrine deposits in central Poland, preserved in a tectonic graben, were exposed in an opencast lignite mine and investigated using sedimentological and micro-paleontological methods. The extraglacial lake sediments provide the first records of late Saalian cladoceran communities in central Europe, recovered from glaciolacustrine deposits. Sedimentation was dominated by a supply of clastics that fluctuated with the seasons, forming rhythmites. In addition to seasonal cyclicity, sedimentary and environmental conditions changed every several years to decades, with periods of increased inflow to the lake delivering sandy material, and periods of almost stagnant water dominated by suspension settling. The sediments contain Cladocera assemblages that indicate the lake was initially deep, oligotrophic, and filled with moderately cold water. Changes in Cladocera community composition and abundance were perhaps responses to climate seasonality. Zones without Cladocera were associated with seasons of higher inflow and sediment supply, and directly or indirectly, with tectonic activity in the graben. Earthquakes, documented by the presence of seismites, caused not only deformation of unconsolidated lake-bottom sediments, but possibly also changes in habitat characteristics. Combined sedimentological and biological data were used to infer the lake’s history and show that deposits of glaciolacustrine lakes can be used as indicators of past ecological and climate changes.     

Quantitative estimation and spatial reconstruction of urban and rural construction land in Jiangsu Province, 1820–1985

Land cover is the most evident landscape signal to characterize the influence of human activities on terrestrial ecosystems. Since the industrial revolution, the expansion of construction land has profoundly changed the status of land use coverage and changes. This study is proposed to reconstruct the spatial pattern of construction land (urban construction land and rural settlement land) for five historical periods over the past 200 years in Jiangsu Province with 200 m × 200 m grids on the basis of quantitative estimation. Urban construction land is estimated based on data about city walls, four gates along walls, and other socio-economic factors. Rural settlement land is calculated based on the rural population and per capita housing allowance. The spatial pattern of historical construction land is simulated based on the distribution of modern construction land in 1985 with a quantitative-boundarysuitability control method and thorough consideration over connectivity of different land use types. The study concludes that: (1) the amount of construction land in Jiangsu Province is estimated at 963.46 km² in 1820, 1043.46 km² in 1911, 1672.40 km² in 1936, 1980.34 km² in 1952 and 10,687.20 km² in 1985; and (2) the spatial distribution of construction land features the great proclivity to water bodies and main roads and the strong polarization of existent residence. The results are verified directly and indirectly by applying the trend verification of construction land changes and patterns, the correlation analysis between rural settlement land and local arable land, and quantitative accuracy test of the reconstructed construction land to actual historical survey maps covering four sample regions in 1936.     

The fossil oribatid mite fauna (Acari: Oribatida) in late-glacial and early-Holocene sediments in Kråkenes Lake, western Norway

The oribatid mite assemblages found in late-glacial and early-Holocene sediments in Kråkenes Lake, western Norway, consist of 38 species within 24 genera. In accordance with known present habitat distribution we distinguish 4 true aquatic species, 6 species associated with wetland, 2 with mesic grassland, 12 with dry grassland and heathland, 3 with saxicolous and arboricolous lichens, 7 widely distributed species, and 4 with uncertainly known habitat preferences. The sediments from the pioneer phase (12,300-11,700 ¹⁴C BP) contain 7 species, among them the 2 typical pioneer species Limnozetes ciliatus and Tectocepheus velatus.The sediments of the warmer Allerød interstadial (11,700-10,900 BP) contain 18 species, the cold Younger Dryas (10,900-10,000 BP) 9 species, and the early Holocene (10,000-9,000 BP) 36 species.The oribatid fossils of the pioneer phase indicate habitats and climate similar to the mid-alpine zone in western Norway today, the Allerod interstadial that of the low- to mid-alpine zone. L. ciliatus is the aquatic pioneer species in the Allerod. In the Younger Dryas the climate was more arctic, 60-70% of the species had presumably disappeared, and no aquatic species were found. In the early Holocene, 4 true aquatic species colonised the lake and showed a high productivity. The terrestrial oribatid fauna in this period contained a high diversity of more boreal species, while the alpine species declined or became extinct.     

Quantitative identification and the evolution characteristics of production–living–ecological space in the mountainous area: From the perspective of multifunctional land

Developed here is an integrated framework for identifying production–living–ecological space(PLES) quantitatively at grid scale from the perspective of multifunction land use, and 25 compound space types are classified to highlight the multiple functions of PLES. As a typical mountainous city in northern Hebei province, Zhangjiakou is used as a case study, and the results show that more than 80% of the land space in Zhangjiakou has remarkable triple functionality. The living-dominated space and ...     

Fast food and liquor store density,co-tenancy,and turnover: Vice store operations in Chicago, 1995–2008

Fast food restaurants and liquor stores—vice stores—have been shown to be more prevalent in predominantly Black and low income U.S. neighborhoods, and are associated with a number of health risks and social ills. The purpose of this study was to investigate in the City of Chicago vice store density and spatial distribution as a function of racial, socioeconomic, and other population characteristics; to examine spatial clustering among these outlets; and to study how store turnover follows population change over a 13-year period. We used spatial point process analysis to fit linear and non-linear models for the intensity function of stores. Spatial clustering was estimated using the K function. We found heterogeneous associations between stores and population characteristics, with the most consistent finding being a positive association between percent Black and liquor store exposure. A high degree of spatial clustering was evident, and liquor stores were more likely to stay in business over time than fast food restaurants. However, when liquor stores closed, they were more likely to be replaced by non-vice businesses. Results suggest that vice stores are associated with lower positions in racial and socioeconomic hierarchies, and this patterning is often durable over time.     

Transmutation of ancient settlements and environmental changes between 6000–2000 aBP in the Chaohu Lake Basin,East China

Based on the temporal-spatial distribution features of ancient settlement sites from the middle and late Neolithic Age to the Han dynasty in the Chaohu Lake Basin of Anhui Province, East China, using the methods of GIS combined with the reconstructed paleoenvironment by the records of lake sediment since Holocene, the transmutation of ancient settlements with response to environmental changes in this area has been discussed. Studies show that the main feature of transmutation of ancient settlements from the middle and late Neolithic Age to the Han Dynasty was that the distribution of settlements in this area changed from high altitudes to low ones and kept approaching the Chaohu Lake with the passage of time. These could be the response to the climate change from warm-moist to a relatively warm-dry condition during the middle Holocene, leading to the lake level fluctuations. The large area of exposed land provided enough space for human activities. These indicate that the above changes in geomorphologic evolution and hydrology influenced by climate conditions affected the transmutation of ancient settlements greatly. The distribution pattern of settlement sites was that the number of sites in the west was more than in the east. This pattern may be related to the geomorphologic conditions such as frequent channel shifting of the Yangtze River as well as flood disasters during the Holocene optimum. Therefore, climate change was the inducement of the transmutation of ancient settlements in the Chaohu Lake Basin, which exerted great influence on the distribution, expansion and development of the ancient settlements.     

Lake Area Changes and the main causes in the hinterland of Badain Jaran Desert during 1973–2010,China

Lake area information in the Badain Jaran Desert in 1973, 1990, 2000, and 2010 was obtained by visual interpretation and water index analysis of remote sensing images, based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of lake area changes during 37 years. Results indicated that the nttmber of lakes declined from 94 to 82 and the total surface area was reduced by 3.69 km2 during 1973-2010. The desert lake area reduced by different degrees in different periods, but this occurred most rapidly during 1973-1990. According to the statistics of lake area changes, lake area decreases mainly occurred in the lakes with areas less than 0.2 km2, while the areas of lakes greater than 0.9 km2 only fluctuated. The changes of lake areas were probably due to changes in the quantity of underground water supplies rather than the effects of local climate change or human factors.     

Lake Area Changes and the main causes in the hinterland of Badain Jaran Desert during 1973–2010, China

Lake area information in the Badain Jaran Desert in 1973, 1990, 2000, and 2010 was obtained by visual interpretation and water index analysis of remote sensing images, based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of lake area changes during 37 years. Results indicated that the number of lakes declined from 94 to 82 and the total surface area was reduced by 3.69 km² during 1973–2010. The desert lake area reduced by different degrees in different periods, but this occurred most rapidly during 1973–1990. According to the statistics of lake area changes, lake area decreases mainly occurred in the lakes with areas less than 0.2 km², while the areas of lakes greater than 0.9 km² only fluctuated. The changes of lake areas were probably due to changes in the quantity of underground water supplies rather than the effects of local climate change or human factors.     

Seasonal patterns of pollen sedimentation in Lake Montcortès (Central Pyrenees) and potential applications to high-resolution paleoecology: a 2-year pilot study

Lakes with varved sediments are especially well suited for paleoecological study, from annual to even seasonal resolution. The interpretative power of such high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions relies on the availability of modern analogs with the same temporal resolution. We studied seasonal pollen sedimentation in varved Lake Montcortès, Central Pyrenees (Spain), as a modern analog for high-resolution reconstruction of Late Holocene vegetation and landscape dynamics. Seasonal samples were obtained from sediment traps that were submerged near the maximum water depth for a 2-year period (fall 2013 to fall 2015). Seasonal pollen sedimentation was compared with meteorological variables from a nearby weather station. Bulk pollen sedimentation, dominated by Pinus (pine) and Quercus (oak), followed a clear seasonal pattern that peaked during the spring/summer, coinciding with maximum temperature and precipitation, minimum relative humidity and moderate winds from the SSE. Pollen sedimentation lags (PSL) were observed for most pollen types, as substantial amounts of pollen were found in the traps outside of their respective flowering seasons. Two pollen assemblages were clearly differentiated by their taxonomic composition, corresponding to spring/summer and fall/winter. This pattern is consistent with existing interpretation of the sediment varves, specifically, that varves are formed by two-layer couplets that represent the same seasonality as pollen. We concluded that pollen sedimentation in Lake Montcortès exhibits a strong seasonal signal in the quantity of pollen, the taxonomic composition of the pollen assembalges, and relationships between the pollen and meteorological variables. Thus, varved sediments provide a potentially powerful tool for paleoecological reconstruction at seasonal resolution. This method could be used not only to identify paleoenvironmental trends, but also to identify annual layers and therefore date sediments, even in the absence of evident sediment laminations. A satisfactory explanation of PSL will require further studies that examine internal lake dynamics and pollen production/dispersal patterns.     

Seedbed of Reform: Arnold Guyot and School Geography in Massachusetts, 1849–1855

Abstract

Swiss-born Arnold Henri Guyot (1807–1884) was the first professionally trained geographer to hold an academic position in the United States. After his migration to this country in 1848 he lived for several years in Massachusetts. During this period he introduced contemporary German-Swiss ideas of geography to key opinion leaders in an important series of lectures (published as Earth and Man), established a system of weather stations, and lectured on methods of teaching geography in Massachusetts teachers' institutes and normal schools. This article discusses Guyot's work in the reform of school geography in Massachusetts as the seedbed for his later, better-known work as the author of innovative textbooks and other teaching aids.     

Regional modelling of present,past and future potential distribution of discontinuous permafrost based on a rock glacier inventory in the Bagnes‐Hérémence area (Western Swiss Alps)

A regional model was used to draw the permafrost distribution in the 200 km 2 of the Bagnes-Hérémence area (Western Swiss Alps). The model is based on the fact that permafrost distribution depends mainly on altitude and orientation and that the minimal altitude of active/inactive rock glaciers can be used as an indicator of the lower limit of discontinuous permafrost. The lower limit of relict rock glaciers is also used as an indicator of past distribution of permafrost. An inventory of rock glaciers was therefore made in the study area. The lower limit of permafrost during the Younger Dryas was determined by comparing the position of relict rock glaciers and glacier extension during the Older Dryas. The model was then applied to four periods (Younger Dryas, Little Ice Age, current period and future) in order to show the temporal evolution of permafrost distribution and glacier extension.     

Soil carbon and nitrogen in a Great Basin pinyon–juniper woodland: Influence of vegetation,burning, and time

Much of the Great Basin, U.S. is currently dominated by sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate ssp. (Rydb.) Boivin) ecosystems. At intermediate elevations, sagebrush ecosystems are increasingly influenced by pinyon (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frém.) and juniper (Juniperus osteosperma Torr.) expansion. Some scientists and policy makers believe that increasing woodland cover in the intermountain western US will create new carbon storage on the landscape; however, little is currently known about the distribution of carbon on these landscapes. This is especially true of below ground pools. Our objectives were to quantify the spatial distribution of soil carbon in expansion woodlands, and to determine prescribed fire's effect on soil C and N. We looked at two treatments (control and burn), three microsites (undertree, undershrub, and interspace), and four soil depths (0–8, 8–23, 23–38, and 38–52 cm). The study was conducted over a six year period with one year pre-fire and five years post-fire data. Results for both carbon and nitrogen were similar, indicating the close relationship between the two elements in this ecosystem. Undershrub microsites had higher soil C and N concentrations than interspace and undertree microsites; however, under tree microsites had higher C:N ratio than interspace and undershrub microsites. Carbon and nitrogen concentration tended to decrease with increasing depth at both control and burn sites. Prescribed burning caused immediate increases in surface soil C and N concentration, but over intermediate to longer periods of time no statistically detectable change in soil C or N content occurred from burning.     

Tetraether membrane lipid distributions in water-column particulate matter and sediments: a study of 47 European lakes along a north–south transect

We studied the distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in water-column particulate matter and the top 5 cm of sediment from 47 lakes along a transect from southern Italy to the northern part of Scandinavia. Our objective was to investigate the biological sources and potential palaeoenvironmental applications of GDGTs in lacustrine sediments. Both archaea-derived isoprenoid and bacteria-derived branched GDGTs, produced by yet unknown soil bacteria, were identified in all lake sediments. GDGT distributions varied substantially. Crenarchaeotal GDGTs, including the characteristic GDGT crenarchaeol, were found in varying relative concentrations, and were more dominant in lakes from the Alps and some of the lakes from the more southern part of the latitudinal transect. In some lakes, we observed high amounts of the GDGT with no cyclopentane moieties relative to crenarchaeol. As methanogenic Euryarchaeota are known to biosynthesise this GDGT predominantly, these Archaea, rather than Crenarchaeota, may be its dominant biological source. In most of the lakes, high amounts of soil-bacteria-derived, branched GDGTs (>40% of total GDGTs) indicated a substantial contribution from soil erosion. Branched GDGTs dominated, especially in the northern lakes, possibly related to high soil-erosion rates. In many of the lakes, soil input affects the distribution of isoprenoidal GDGTs and prevents the reliable application of the TEX₈₆ temperature proxy for lake water temperature, which is based on in situ crenarchaeotal GDGTs production. In 9 out of the 47 lakes studied, the TEX₈₆ temperature proxy could be used reliably. When we compared the TEX₈₆ correlation with annual and winter lake-surface temperature, respectively, the relationship between TEX₈₆ and winter temperature was slightly stronger. This may indicate the season in which these GDGT-producing organisms have their peak production.