Preliminary research findings from SCALE activities include:
Fish and Zooplankton
- Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has detected new invading fish species in 6 out of 12 sampled lakes.
- Zooplankton biomass in Adirondack lakes has declined while biodiversity has increased since 1995.
- Food sources supporting bottom-dwelling invertebrates change as water clarity declines.
Water Chemistry
- Adirondack lake calcium levels declined for several decades but have stabilized since 2015.
- A natural tea-like substance called dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been increasing for decades.
- Rates of DOC increase have accelerated in recent years, reducing water clarity and altering lake temperatures.
Satellite Remote Sensing
- Remote sensing enables scaling of survey data to thousands of lakes across the Adirondacks & examination of historical trends back to the 1980s.
- The vast majority of Adirondack lakes have warmed substantially since 1984.
- Remote sensing of water quality is underway.
SCALE Sensors
- Sensors are measuring depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, & weather on 20 lakes.
- The loss of oxygen, termed deoxygenation, is a threat to water quality and fish habitat.
- Data will provide information on the habitat available to sensitive cold-water fish species.