Land change in the central Albertine rift: Insights from analysis and mapping of land use-land cover change in north-western Rwanda

Land change was assessed in the Albertine rift region (ARR) using its central section of north-western Rwanda as case study. This region is one of Africa's most ecologically sensitive environments under severe pressure from human activities. The study maps and quantifies the spatial extent of land use-land cover (LULC) changes between 1987 and 2016 from Landsat images. Transitions between five major land classes were identified in order to understand the trajectory of observed changes. In terms of gains, the forest class, the urban built-up and bare land class increased by 9% and 4% respectively over the study period. The gains of forest were mainly derived from the afforestation of some agricultural lands in the southern part, whereas the gains of built-up and bare lands were mostly from cultivated land which was a net losing class. Forest increase is in line with government's policy to increase the national forest cover to 30% by 2020. Forest losses occurred mostly outside protected areas due to land conversion for settlement and agricultural purposes. Much needed information about changes in LULC over the last three decades is provided. This study demonstrates in a timely manner how to analyse and monitor LULC change and the drivers in an environment where field based research is a challenge due to the mountainous terrain. The ecological richness of the region, which coincides with heightened human population pressure, necessitates the monitoring of land change as input for improving land use planning with focus on conserving biodiversity.     

Ecological succession and land use changes in a lake retreat area (Main Ethiopian Rift Valley)

In the semi-arid Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, ecological succession is related to continuous lake retreat. Human activity, through its impact on land use and cover, affects this ecological succession at various degrees. Through a remote sensing study, we explored how the drivers for land use and cover changes (LUCC) have changed over the last decades and which impact this has on ecological succession. Remote sensing data used include a Landsat MSS from 1973, a Landsat TM from 1986 and Landsat ETM+ from 2000; a conventional type of classification was used whereby supervised classification of the 2000 image was supplemented by unsupervised classification of the older images. Due to decreased rainfall and water abstraction for intense irrigated agriculture in its catchment, Lake Abijata lost 46% of its area between 2000 and 2006. On the emerged land, an ecological succession was observed along the environmental gradient of the retreating lake: emerged bare land, grassland, land with few scattered Acacia shrubs and open woodlands. Between 1986 and 2000, LUCC tendencies were totally reversed and woody vegetation decreased strongly, indicating increased human impact. This land degradation took place in a context of instable political situation, fuelwood extraction, higher population density and better communications.     

南水北调中线水源区土地利用/土地覆被的空间格局

土地利用/土地覆被 (简称LULC) 变化对流域水资源动态具有深刻的影响。这对于我国大规模跨流域的南水北调工程规划尤为重要。本文制定了该工程中线水源区约95 000 km² 面积的LULC分类系统,利用2000年前后的TM影像完成LULC分布现状图,并结合DEM分析了其土地利用/土地覆被的空间格局特征。结果表明：① 研究区域森林覆盖率为50.97%,灌丛25.58%;农田约占15%,其中旱地与水田的比例约10:3;石砾裸地等强烈退化类型合占5.66%;水域约占1%。② 区内秦岭南坡、汉-丹平原丘陵、巴山北坡三部分的LULC结构存在显著差异,强度土地利用类型和退化土地类型主要分布在汉-丹平原丘陵地区;秦岭南坡耕地的水分条件较巴山北坡好,但局部土地退化现象也更严重。③ 地形对LULC具有明显影响。海拔高度控制着自然植被的垂直分异和各种土地利用类型及利用强度的分布;各土地覆被类型的分布显示了坡度对土地开发强度的限制作用;坡向对局部LULC格局的影响并不显著,但在区域尺度上可能对秦岭南坡与巴山北坡的LULC结构差异具有贡献。南水北调中线工程水源区当前的LULC结构和空间格局显示,总体上植被状况良好,高强度的土地利用类型主要集中于海拔1000m以下的平缓地区,而退化土地类型也主要存在于这一区域,是流域水质保护和环境治理的关键区域。     

Anthropogenic impacts recorded in recent sediments from Otisco Lake,New York,USA

Geochemical analysis of ²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment cores from Otisco Lake (New York) combined with analysis of recent land cover change in the watershed revealed the history of land use change, lake management, and industrial pollution since European settlement in the northeastern US. Clearance of forestland for agriculture characterized the early settlement era that was marked in the Otisco Lake sediments by a decline in organic carbon (OC) and OC:N ratios, which indicate a change in the sources of organic matter to the lake. Agricultural land use reached its greatest areal extent in the Otisco watershed around 1900, followed by field abandonment and reforestation over the last century. In the 1920s sediment accumulation rates began to increase coincident with residential development along the lake shore. Nitrogen and organic carbon, which are transported from the watershed, show increased fluxes to the lake in response to this change. Deposition of inorganic carbon increased markedly over a short period from the 1940s to the 1980s, which is consistent with enhanced mobilization of watershed calcium by increased acidic deposition, followed by alkalinization of the lake waters and calcite precipitation. An increase in copper content in the sediments reflects application, since 1942, of the algicide copper sulfate to the lake waters to control algal blooms. This CuSO₄ marker confirmed the accuracy of the ²¹⁰Pb chronology. Atmospheric mercury (Hg) fluxes to the lake were affected by increased sediment transport from the watershed. The maximum Hg peak in the sediment record, however, was dated to the early 1970s and coincides with maximum Hg emissions to the atmosphere in the Great Lakes region.     

近年来的黄土高原耕地时空变化与口粮安全耕地数量分析

基于遥感调查数据集定量分析了1990—2015年中国黄土高原地区耕地的时空变化特征和口粮绝对安全最小耕地保障面积的数量变化。结果表明：黄土高原耕地面积从1990年的192 529.65 km²至2015年的182 688.50 km²,净减少了9 841.14 km²,幅度达5.11%,其中2000—2010年的减幅最大,净减少8 483.00 km²;较大的耕地动态变化图斑主要分布于中部和西部区域,细碎的变化图斑广泛分布;耕地地类转出面积（31 875.82 km²）大于转入面积（21 815.25 km²）,耕地面积的增加主要由草地和林地转化而来,主要分布在灌溉农业区和东南部平原区,减少的耕地主要转化为草地和林地,主要分布在中部沟壑区的雨养农业区。此外,该时期耕地转化为建筑用地和交通用地等人工表面的面积逐渐增加,主要分布在东南部低海拔平原地区;黄土高原口粮绝对安全所需最小耕地保障面积呈明显减少特征（从1990年的70 913.37 km²下降到2015年的33 981.64 km²）,占该区耕地总面积比例呈明显缩减态势（从1990年的36.83%缩减到2015年的18.60%）,目前耕地总量的净减少未对口粮绝对安全的耕地保障数量造成大的影响。     

A phenology based geo-informatics approach to map land use and land cover (2003–2013) by spatial segregation of large heterogenic river basins

Accurate information on land use and land cover (LULC) is critical for policy decisions especially for management of land and water resources’ activities in large river basins around the world. Phenology based LULC classification is the most promising approach particularly in the areas with diversified cropping patterns. Sometimes in large river basins, local climate and topography provides two different phenological information sets for the same crops in the same season. Based on accurate phenological information of the main crops in spatially segregated units, the remote sensing based classification was used to map the LULC changes for a period of 2003–2013 in the Kabul River Basin (KRB) of Afghanistan. We used remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) products of Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) from Terra (MOD13Q1) and Aqua (MYD13Q1) with 250 m spatial resolution for this study. The overall accuracy (mean) of the LULC classification throughout the study period was around 68.15% ± 9.45while the producer and user accuracies (mean) were 75.9 ± 11.3% and 76.4 ± 11.2%, respectively. Results show that the cropping patterns vary significantly in the spatially disaggregated units. From 2003 till 2013, the ground coverage of wheat, barley and rice was increased by 31%, 7% and 32%, respectively. Overall, there has been only 2% increment in the agricultural area across the KRB between 2003 and 2013. This relatively increased trend of land cover change has taken place as a result of partial improvement in political stability as well as investment in irrigation infrastructure and agricultural development in the region. This study further provides insight to develop new agriculture strategies in order to maintain the ecosystem required to fulfil the rising food demands.     

Remotely sensing the spatial and temporal land cover changes in Eastern Mau forest reserve and Lake Nakuru drainage basin,Kenya

This study aimed at characterizing land cover dynamics for four decades in Eastern Mau forest and Lake Nakuru basin, Kenya. The specific objectives were to: (i) identify and map the major land cover types in 1973, 1985, 2000 and 2011; (ii) detect and determine the magnitude, rates and nature of the land cover changes that had occurred between these dates, and; (iii) establish the spatial and temporal distribution of these changes. Land cover types were discriminated through partitioning, hybrid classification and spatial reclassification of multi-temporal Landsat imagery. The land cover products were then validated and overlaid in post-classification comparison to detect the changes between 1973 and 2011. The accuracies of the land cover maps for 1973, 1985, 2000 and 2011 were 88%, 95%, 80% and 89% respectively. Six land cover classes, namely forests-shrublands, grasslands, croplands, built-up lands, bare lands and water bodies, were mapped. Forests-shrublands dominated in 1973, 1985 and 2000 covering about 1067 km², 893 km² and 797 km² respectively, but were surpassed by croplands (953 km²) in 2011. Bare lands occupied the least area that varied between 2 km² and 7 km² during this period. Overall, forests-shrublands and grasslands decreased by 428 km² and 258 km² at the annual average rates of 1% each, whereas croplands and built-up lands expanded by 660 km² and 24 km² at the annual rates of 6% and 16% respectively. The key hotspots of these changes were distributed in all directions of the study area, but at different times. Therefore, policies that integrate restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems with enhancement of agricultural productivity are strongly recommended. This will ensure environmental sustainability and socio-economic well-being in the area. Future research needs to assess the impacts of the land cover changes on ecosystem services and to project the future patterns of land cover changes.     

A land-use and water-quality history of White Rock Lake reservoir, Dallas, Texas, based on paleolimnological analyses

White Rock Lake reservoir in Dallas, Texas contains a 150-cm sediment record of silty clay that documents land-use changes since its construction in 1912. Pollen analysis corroborates historical evidence that between 1912 and 1950 the watershed was primarily agricultural. Land disturbance by plowing coupled with strong and variable spring precipitation caused large amounts of sediment to enter the lake during this period. Diatoms were not preserved at this time probably because of low productivity compared to diatom dissolution by warm, alkaline water prior to burial in the sediments. After 1956, the watershed became progressively urbanized. Erosion decreased, land stabilized, and pollen of riparian trees increased as the lake water became somewhat less turbid. By 1986 the sediment record indicates that diatom productivity had increased beyond rates of diatom destruction. Neither increased nutrients nor reduced pesticides can account for increased diatom productivity, but grain size studies imply that before 1986 diatoms were light limited by high levels of turbidity. This study documents how reservoirs may relate to land-use practices and how watershed management could extend reservoir life and improve water quality.     

Land use/land cover change detection and prediction in the north-western coastal desert of Egypt using Markov-CA

Detecting land-use change has become of concern to environmentalists, conservationists and land use planners due to its impact on natural ecosystems. We studied land use/land cover (LULC) changes in part of the northwestern desert of Egypt and used the Markov-CA integrated approach to predict future changes. We mapped the LULC distribution of the desert landscape for 1988, 1999, and 2011. Landsat Thematic Mapper 5 data and ancillary data were classified using the random forests approach. The technique produced LULC maps with an overall accuracy of more than 90%. Analysis of LULC classes from the three dates revealed that the study area was subjected to three different stages of modification, each dominated by different land uses. The use of a spatially explicit land use change modeling approach, such as Markov-CA approach, provides ways for projecting different future scenarios. Markov-CA was used to predict land use change in 2011 and project changes in 2023 by extrapolating current trends. The technique was successful in predicting LULC distribution in 2011 and the results were comparable to the actual LULC for 2011. The projected LULC for 2023 revealed more urbanization of the landscape with potential expansion in the croplands westward and northward, an increase in quarries, and growth in residential centers. The outcomes can help management activities directed toward protection of wildlife in the area. The study can also be used as a guide to other studies aiming at projecting changes in arid areas experiencing similar land use changes.     

Unplanned urban growth: land use/land cover change in the Guwahati Metropolitan Area,India

Unplanned urban growth, particularly in developing countries has led to changes in land use/land cover (LULC). Numerous Indian cities face problems of unplanned LULC change due to nominal or non-existent planning efforts compounded by rapid urban population growth. The Guwahati Metropolitan Area (GMA) is one such urban centre. The present study assesses the trajectories of LULC change using Landsat imageries acquired in 1976, 1989, 2002 and 2015. Natural and semi natural vegetated area and artificial and natural water bodies decreased while built-up areas, cultivated and managed areas, and natural and semi natural non-vegetated areas increased. The built-up area increased from 23.9 in 1976 to 115.1 km² in 2015 becoming the dominant land cover class accounting for 41.8% of the total geographical area. During this period, natural and semi natural vegetated land were reduced by 88.9 km² at an annual rate of 2.2 km². Over the years there was an increasing trend of built-up land and cultivated and managed areas in the peripheral areas of the city while natural and semi natural vegetated land diminished. Consequently, as in many other developing countries, there is an urgent need for the governmental authorities and other stakeholders to implement effective urban planning policies.     

考虑湿地精细分类的全球海岸带土地利用/ 覆盖遥感分类系统

土地利用/覆盖分类是土地利用/覆盖数据建立和土地利用/覆盖变化研究的重要前提。针对全球海岸带土地利用/覆盖类型多样性显著但分类系统鲜有专论的研究现状,从全球海岸带区域的基本特征出发,重点参考《湿地公约》以及区域至全球尺度的湿地分类系统,严格遵循预先定义的分类依据以及分类原则,提出全球海岸带土地利用/覆盖遥感分类系统,包括6个一级类型,分别为耕地、植被、湿地、建设用地、裸地、永久性冰川雪地,20个二级类型和43个三级类型,比较系统且全面地涵盖了全球海岸带区域的土地利用/覆盖类型和湿地资源。该分类系统层次清晰且分类严格,综合考虑了宏观区域至全球尺度海岸带土地利用/覆盖分类及变化特征遥感监测研究所需,充分重视了全球沿海区域丰富多样的湿地资源,明确强调了全球高纬度地区苔原类型的归属及分类,合理兼顾了低、中、高不同时空分辨率卫星数据的优势,为建立多时相全球或代表性区域海岸带土地利用/覆盖变化数据集提供支持。     

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover Changes in an Ecologically Fragile Area—Alappuzha District,Southern Kerala,India

Concomitant with careless human interference in the delicate environmental balance, the Earth’s surface is witnessing a variety of changes in land use and land cover (LULC). Acquisition of a sound understanding of LULC is an important aspect of maintaining a sustainable, benign, healthy environment. The present work highlights a spatiotemporal study on the LULC features of Alappuzha District, an ecologically fragile area in southern Kerala, a state in South India. The study area faces diverse environmental challenges including decline of landforms, rising sea levels, population expansion and anthropogenic encroachments on the ecological balance. This investigation compiles an audited account of the modifications, in each class of LULC, using geospatial technologies. We interpreted satellite imagery from the Landsat 8 and the Landsat multispectral scanner for the years 1973 and 2017. The LULC aspects were categorized into seven classes: waterbody, waterlogged area, mixed vegetation, built-up land, uncultivated area, paddy field and sandy area. Our findings affirm that the expansiveness of the built-up land area is directly proportional to the growth of the population. Advanced technologies such as remote sensing and geographic information system accentuate alterations in land use patterns over time and the extent to which the changes affect the human population and the natural habitat. We verified the results of our research by assessment of accuracy and ground truth confirmation of the LULC features.

     

The History of Recent Limnological Changes and Human Impact on Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon

Hypereutrophic Upper Klamath Lake has been studied for almost 50 years to evaluate the nature, cause, and effects of its very productive waters. Mitigation of undesirable effects of massive cyanobacterial blooms requires understanding their modern causes as well as their history. Knowledge of the pre-settlement natural limnology of this system can provide guidelines for lake restoration and management of land and water use strategies to maximize the benefits of this aquatic resource. This investigation uses a paleolimnological approach to document the nature and chronology of limnological and biological changes in Upper Klamath Lake for the past 200 years, covering the time when the lake was first described until today. A 45-cm gravity core, dated by ²¹⁰Pb and diatom correlations, was analyzed for diatoms, pollen, akinetes (resting spores) of the cyanobacterium Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, reworked tephra shards, and sediment magnetic characteristics. Pollen profiles show little vegetation change during this time. In contrast, diatoms indicative of increased nutrient fluxes (P and Si) increase moderately, coinciding with the settlement of the region by Euro-Americans. Numerous settlement activities, including draining of lake-margin marshes, upstream agriculture and timber harvest, road construction, and boat traffic, may have affected the lake. Magnetic properties and reworked tephra suggest riparian changes throughout the basin and increased lithogenic sediment delivery to the lake, especially after 1920 when the marshes near the mouth of the Williamson River were drained and converted to agricultural and pasture land. Drainage and channelization also decreased the ability of the marshes to function as traps and filters for upstream water and sediments. Akinetes of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae record progressive eutrophication of Upper Klamath Lake beginning in the 20th century and particularly after 1920 when lake-margin marsh reclamation more than doubled. The coincidence of limnological changes and human activities following European settlement suggests a major impact on the Upper Klamath Lake ecosystem, although ascribing specific limnological changes to specific human activities is difficult.     

Settlement History As Reflection Of Climate Change: The Case Study Of Lake Jues (Harz Mountains, Germany)

Postglacial sediments from Lake Jues, located at the SW margin of the Harz Mountains, were investigated for pollen, diatoms and sediment characteristics. The paper focuses on the time period between 7600 and 1200 y cal. BP (calibrated years before present), during which human impact began to influence the environnment of the lake. Climate variability was mainly inferred from sediment characteristics and changes in algal assemblages. The observed climatic changes coincide well with those recorded from other sites. Neolithic settlement started during the warm and dry Atlantic period. Intensive land use occurred under favourable climatic conditions during the Bronze and the Iron Ages, while human activities declined during cool and wet periods around 4000 and 2700 y cal. BP and after 2300 y cal. BP. The study shows that climate strongly influenced human settlement at remote locations like Lake Jues.     

Land suitability evaluation for changing spatial organization in Urmia County towards conservation of Urmia Lake

One of the most effective ways to reverse the decline of Iran's iconic Urmia Lake is to directly confront the development patterns that have contributed to the current crisis. This study's objective is to create a model for conservation of Urmia Lake that identifies suitable lands for agricultural and residential development in Urmia County that are distant from Urmia Lake. This was accomplished through a Geographic Information System-based multi-stage process. The first step involved production of maps based on an initial assessment of the region's geography, geomorphology, landforms, and hazards potential. In the next step, all of the parameters were overlaid and land suitability maps were generated by using determinant maps. In developing the final map, the lands were divided into four classes for future development potential: highly suitable, suitable, marginally suitable and not suitable. The results showed that well away from highly populated regions adjacent to Urmia Lake, there are highly suitable and suitable lands that presently contain 14 and 8 percent of total settlements, respectively. The highly suitable and suitable lands, which cover 5.6 and 6.7% of the total area, may serve as appropriate axes for changing the traditional spatial organization of the region, redirecting future development and consequently decreasing ecological pressure on lands close to Urmia Lake as well as preventing further excessive usage of water resources in the region.     

基于Dyna-CLUE模型的滇池流域土地利用情景设计与模拟

以滇池流域为研究对象,基于1999年、2002年两期TM遥感解译数据和区域自然与社会经济数据,应用Dyna-CLUE模型模拟2008年滇池土地利用空间分布。结合滇池流域土地利用变化趋势与退耕还林政策,设定了三种土地需求情景,模拟2022年区域土地利用空间分布情况。研究结果表明：① 两期模拟结果Kappa系数分别为0.6814与0.7124,具有高度的一致性,表明Dyna-CLUE模型在滇池流域有较强的适用性。② 三种情景的模拟结果显示,至2022年流域内未利用地、耕地显著减少,建设用地、林地显著增加,水域与草地相对变化较小,因加大退耕还林政策实施力度,三种情景中,位于官渡区、呈贡区、嵩明县及晋宁县的耕地与林地呈现不同的变化情况。③ 滇池流域建设用地扩张,增加了滇池非点源污染负荷。不合理的土地利用布局,将会恶化滇池水质,加剧水环境压力。研究结果可为未来滇池流域土地利用合理规划与非点源污染控制提供参考依据和决策支持。     

Biological and Geochemical Record of Anthropogenic Impacts in Recent Sediments from Lake Pupuke, Auckland City, New Zealand

Frozen sediment cores from Lake Pupuke in Auckland City, New Zealand, contain a high resolution decadal to annual scale record of changing lake paleoenvironments and geochemistry that reflects changing landuse and hydrology in the catchment over the past c. 190 years. A reliable chronology is available from AMS ¹⁴C and ²¹⁰Pb dating of the sediments, with the timing of the older part of the record supported by the first appearance of pollen of introduced Pinus and Plantago lanceolata associated with European settlement of Auckland in the early 1840s. Diatom stratigraphy, sediment elemental and carbon isotope geochemistry reflect changes in sediment sources and lake conditions commensurate with European development of the Lake Pupuke catchment, in particular enhanced algal productivity controlled by the influx of nutrients after c. 1920 AD. Attempts to prevent nuisance algal blooms in 1933, 1934 and 1939 using CuSO₄ addition produced Cu spikes in the sediment that allowed confirmation of the accuracy of the ²¹⁰Pb chronology. Hence, the elemental and isotopic composition of the Lake Pupuke sediments reflect the timing of significant anthropogenic activities, rather than climatic variations, that have occurred within the watershed over the past c. 190 years. The comparison of records of land use change in the catchment with the multi-proxy record of changes in the sediments usually allowed unambiguous identification of the signatures of change and their causes.     

The ecologo-geomorphological consequences of conservation of agricultural lands within the Lake Baikal watershed basin

The results derived from analyzing the long-term dynamics of the runoff of sediment loads of the main rivers in the agricultural areas of the Lake Baikal watershed basin are discussed. The analysis revealed a descending trend of the erosion processes caused by an abrupt change of agricultural activity in the region, i.e. a reduction in the area of arable and pasture lands in the late 20th century. It is shown that a decrease in basin erosion intensity promotes stabilization of desertification processes and, in general, an improvement of the ecological situation in the Baikal region.     

多尺度土地利用与土壤侵蚀

土地利用能够通过改变一系列的自然现象和生态过程影响土壤侵蚀,尺度不同,土地利用与土壤侵蚀的作用机制也会发生变化。本文针对坡面尺度、小流域／流域尺度和区域尺度,综述了不同尺度上土地利用对土壤侵蚀的影响研究。其中,在坡面尺度上,土地利用与土壤侵蚀的研究主要包括土地利用方式和土地管理措施对土壤侵蚀的影响,相应尺度上的模型有USLE／RUSLE、WEPP等;在小流域／流域尺度上,土地利用与土壤侵蚀的研究主要涉及土地利用结构和土地利用格局对土壤侵蚀的影响,相关的模型有LISEM、AGNPS、EUROSEM和SEDEM等;在区域尺度上土壤侵蚀评价研究主要是通过尺度上推和宏观因子评价的方法进行。多尺度土地利用与土壤侵蚀研究作为自然地理学研究中的热点问题,在进一步的研究中需要关注多尺度综合与尺度转换、土地利用政策效应、土地利用格局与土壤流失过程等方面的研究内容。     

A whole-basin stratigraphic record of sediment and phosphorus loading to the St. Croix River,USA

Lake St. Croix is a natural impoundment of the lowermost 37 km of the St. Croix River in Minnesota and Wisconsin, making this one of a few large river systems in the world possessing a long-term depositional basin at its terminus. The river’s relatively pristine condition led to its designation as a National Scenic Riverway in 1968, but increasing urbanization in its lower reaches has raised concerns about impacts on water quality. This study was initiated to reconstruct historical loadings of suspended sediment and phosphorus (P) from the sediment record in Lake St. Croix. Twenty-four piston cores, with an average length of 2 m, were collected along eight transects of the lake. Dated chronologies from ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs and ¹⁴C were used to calculate the rate of sediment accumulation in the lake over the past 100+ years. Diatom microfossil analysis was used to reconstruct historical lakewater P concentrations over the same time period, and sediment P analysis quantified the amount of P trapped in lake sediments. Using a whole-lake mass balance approach, the loading of sediment and P to Lake St. Croix over the last 100+ years was calculated. Beginning in 1850, sediment accumulation increased dramatically to a peak in 1950–1960 of eight times background rates prior to European settlement. The peak is driven largely by sediment contributions from small side-valley catchment tributaries to the downstream half of the lake. The total P load to the lake increased sharply after 1940 and remains high, at around four times the level of pre-European settlement conditions. The timing of peak sediment and P loading to the lake shows that early settlement activities, such as logging and the conversion of forest and prairie to agricultural land between 1850 and 1890, had only modest impacts on the lake. By contrast, the mid-1900s brought major increases in sediment and P loading to the lake, suggesting that relatively recent activities on the landscape and changes to nutrient balances in the watershed have caused the current eutrophic condition of this important recreational and natural resource. This is one of eight papers dedicated to the “Recent Environmental History of the Upper Mississippi River” published in this special issue of the Journal of Paleolimnology. D. R. Engstrom served as guest editor of the special issue.