Global Change and Lake Monitoring: Harnessing Earth Observations for Environmental Analysis

Earth observation technologies have become critical in monitoring the health of lake ecosystems, especially given the accelerating global environmental changes. Natural Lakes, highly sensitive to both climatic variations and anthropogenic influences, serve as indicators of broader ecological shifts. These bodies of water face significant changes in water quality, temperature, ice cover, and biodiversity, which correlate with larger-scale phenomena such as climate change, pollution, land use modification, and urban expansion. Utilizing advanced Earth observation tools such as satellite remote sensing, aerial imagery, and ground-based sensors enables researchers to meticulously track and analyze lake dynamics. This comprehensive monitoring extends from local water bodies to expansive global lake networks, ensuring precise assessments of critical lake characteristics like surface area, water temperatures, water levels, and algal blooms. These observations are pivotal for gauging ecosystem health and forecasting environmental trends.

Artificial lakes and man-made reservoirs alter water fluxes at the land surface and impact surface water storage through water management regulations. Long-term and consistent records of reservoir storage are rarely pubic. As reservoirs in the same region are managed similarly, we expect the water storage change to be is in phase at seasonal scales and that draughts and inundations influence the behaviour in managing the water resources. Satellite remote sensing is an indispensable tool to have access to this type of information.

This Research Topic aims to delve into the multifaceted relationship between global change and lake ecosystems through the innovative use of Earth observation technology for environmental analysis. It focuses on advancing our understanding of how changing global conditions affect lake ecology and on refining the technologies that allow us to monitor these impacts effectively.

To gather further insights into this critical area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Impact of climate change on lake temperatures and ice dynamics;
o Impact of climate change on water storage change;
o Impact of climate change and seasonal variability on managing artificial lakes and energy production
o Advanced remote sensing techniques for monitoring water quality and quantity;
o Effects of nutrient loading and pollution on lake health;
o Biodiversity changes in freshwater systems due to human influence;
o Integration of diverse data sources for comprehensive lake ecosystem assessments.

Keywords: lake temperature, lake level, hydrochemistry, water balance, remote sensing, climate change

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.