Data from: Centennial-long trends of lake browning show major effect of afforestation
Data files
May 01, 2018 version files 169.82 KB
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Land-use and climate variables.xlsx
47.19 KB
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Long-term water color in 18 lakes.xlsx
40.08 KB
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Sulfur deposition and sulfate concentration.xlsx
40.22 KB
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Water color between years.xlsx
42.34 KB
Abstract
Observations of increasing water color and organic carbon concentrations in lakes are widespread across the Northern Hemisphere. The drivers of these trends are debated. Declining atmospheric sulfur deposition has been put forward as an important underlying factor, since recovery from acidification enhances mobility of organic matter from surrounding soils. This would suggest that the current browning represents a return to a more natural state. This study explores historical lake data from Sweden—1935 to 2015—providing a unique opportunity to see how and why water color has varied during almost a century. The data shows that sulfur deposition has not been the primary driver of water color trends over this period. I propose that the observed browning is to a large extent driven by a major transition from agriculture to forestry.