Water level fluctuations and their effects on lake ecology

Abstract

Escalating freshwater demand, triggered by population and economic growth, technological development, urbanization, land conversion and intensification of agriculture is one of the major challenges facing humankind. The problem is also likely to be exacerbated considerably by global climate change. Consequently, amplification of water level fluctuations is rapidly becoming one of the key disturbances of aquatic ecosystems globally, endangering ecosystem integrity and the provision of ecosystem goods and services.