The limnology and spectral behaviour of a freshwater lake at Harmony Point, Nelson Island, Antarctica

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Rosa, Cristiano Niederauer Da, Pereira Filho, Waterloo, Bremer, Ulisses Franz, Andrade, André Medeiros De, Kramer, Gisieli, Hillebrand, Fernando Luis, Jesus, Janisson Batista De
• Other Authors: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2021
• Subjects: Geology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Harmony Point; Nelson Island; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102021000304; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102021000304

Abstract The present study investigates the effect of limnology on the spectral reflectance of a freshwater lake, located in an ice-free area in the Antarctic Peninsula. Field-collected samples generated limnological and spectral parameters. This fact indicates that the studied lake has an ultra-oligotrophic/oligotrophic nature based on chlorophyll a (chl a ), which registered concentrations below 3 μg l -1 with no total suspended solids, almost neutral pH and transparency equalled by depth. The water spectral behaviour in each sampling station indicates that the benthic characteristics of the lake have a strong influence as the reflectance at the 705 nm wavelength being greater than that at 583 nm signals the presence of soil and/or vegetation at its bottom. Hence, it is believed that the orbital sensors with spectral bands focused on regions between the green and red edge, such as the MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) sensor, may present better results for distinguishing the different bottom types found in the research area.