At the Edge of the Lakes

Under breaking clouds,
the lakes stir
wake
weep –
mirrored surfaces caught
between a glare and
a murmur.
Fish flit,
sensing a shift –
a heat unknown.
Weeds sway,
dance
a slower rhythm –
anchored
yet restless.
Shores glisten
with impossible sweat
as faulting waters
pulse with pain –
a ripple felt in
every fin.
Their world
unfolds,
bearing witness
to the edge
of something vast –
memory’s ghost,
untamed.

This poem is inspired by recent research, which has found that unprecedented warming threatens earth’s lakes and their ecosystems.

Climate change is causing lake temperatures to rise, which can disrupt the lives of fish and other aquatic animals that need specific temperature conditions to survive. Scientists are particularly worried about temperatures increasing beyond what lakes have naturally experienced in the past, making it difficult for these species to adapt. However, it has been uncertain exactly when these unprecedented conditions will occur.

A new study looked at daily data from advanced climate models to predict these changes. The researchers found that many northern lakes will reach these extreme temperatures if the Earth’s overall temperature rises by 4°C compared to pre-industrial times. In warmer regions closer to the equator, these conditions will happen even sooner, with just a 2.4°C increase, because these areas have less variation in natural lake temperatures. The study also found similar patterns in deeper lake waters. This research is important because it shows that global warming will lead to major changes in lakes, especially in warmer regions, which could make them less suitable for the species that live there and cause shifts in freshwater habitats this century.