IISD Experimental Lakes Area and Climate Change

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) reports that mean annual air temperatures in Northwestern Ontario have increased by 0.42°C per decade since 1969, exceeding the global average. This warming is contributing to shorter lake ice cover durations, which are projected to decline by another 20–30 days by 2070. The document also notes that lake trout are experiencing habitat loss due to rising surface temperatures and low bottom-water oxygen, and their average length has decreased since the 1970s due to longer summer periods restricting food access. Additionally, the report highlights a trend of lakes becoming darker in Europe and North America due to increased dissolved organic carbon from precipitation.

• Since 1969, mean annual air temperatures at the IISD-ELA facility in Northwestern Ontario have risen by 0.42°C per decade, a rate significantly higher than the global average of 0.15-0.30 °C/decade. Warming is occurring more rapidly during autumn and winter months than in the summer.
• Lake ice cover duration is decreasing in the Northern Hemisphere. In Northwestern Ontario, regional projections indicate that the duration of ice cover will decrease by an additional 20–30 days by 2070.
• Lakes in North America and Europe are becoming darker due to higher levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) entering via precipitation. Projections suggest lakes in Eastern Canada will continue to darken, while those in Western Canada will become lighter.
• Climate change is negatively impacting lake trout by squeezing their preferred habitat between overheating surface waters and oxygen-poor bottom waters, risking local extinction. Furthermore, the average length of adult lake trout has decreased since the 1970s, which data suggests is linked to longer summer periods that limit their access to food while they are confined to deeper waters.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). IISD Experimental Lakes Area and Climate Change. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-climate-change-brochure.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. IISD Experimental Lakes Area and Climate Change. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-climate-change-brochure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=IISD Experimental Lakes Area and Climate Change |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-climate-change-brochure.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndiisd, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{IISD Experimental Lakes Area and Climate Change}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-ela-climate-change-brochure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }