Slide Words: Yuan Yang Lake, Taiwan – August 2004

Slide Image: The slide shows a graph covering the dates of August 22 to August 28, 2004, representing data from sensors in Yuan Yang Lake in Taiwan and showing thermal stratification.

The left vertical axis is labeled “Water Temperature” and is measured in degrees Centigrade. The right vertical axis is labeled “Precipitation (mm per 5 minute interval).”

The graph shows how a typhoon caused Yuan Yang Lake in Taiwan to mix completely for 1-2 days (between August 23 and August 25) before it regained thermal stratification. Typhoons can be important disturbance events which “reset” lake physical, chemical, and biological characteristics.

Automated sensing with wireless transmission of field data directly to web sites is critical for following ecosystem response to these events.

Image Credit: Lakemetabolism.org Research Group