The epilimnion or surface layer is the top-most layer in a thermally

stratified Stratification may refer to: Mathematics * Stratification (mathematics), any consistent assignment of numbers to predicate symbols * Data stratification in statistics Earth sciences * Stable and unstable stratification * Stratification, or st ...

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

. It sits above the deeper

metalimnion A thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a thin but distinct layer in a large body of fluid (e.g. water, as in an ocean or lake; or air, e.g. an atmosphere) in which temperature changes more drastically with ...

and

hypolimnion The hypolimnion or under lake is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally- stratified lake. The word hypolimnion is derived from the Greek "limnos" meaning "lake". It is the layer that lies below the thermocline. Typically the hypolimni ...

. It is typically warmer and has a higher pH and higher

dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation (symbol SO2) is a relative measure of the concentration of oxygen that is dissolved or carried in a given medium as a proportion of the maximal concentration that can be dissolved in that medium at the given temperature. It ca ...

concentration than the hypolimnion.

Physical Structure

Properties

In the water column, the epilimnion sits above all other layers. The epilimnion is only present in stratified lakes. On the topside of the epilimnion it is in contact with air, which leaves it open to wind action, which allows the water to experience

turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to a laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between ...

. Turbulence and

convection Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the convec ...

work together to make waves which increases

aeration Aeration (also called aerification or aeriation) is the Systems engineering process, process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or solvation, dissolved in a liquid or other substances that act as a fluid (such as soil). Aeration proces ...

. On the bottom side of the epilimnion is the metalimnion, which contains the

thermocline A thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a thin but distinct layer in a large body of fluid (e.g. water, as in an ocean or lake; or air, e.g. an atmosphere) in which temperature changes more drastically with ...

. The thermocline is created because of the difference in temperature between the epilimnion and the metalimnion. This is due to the fact that since the epilimnion is in contact with air and is above everything, it interacts with the sun and heat more, making it warmer than the layers below. In certain areas during the winter, the epilimnion will freeze over, cutting off the lake from being aerated directly.

Lake Turnover and Mixing

In most stratified lakes, seasonal changes in the spring and fall air temperature cause the epilimnion to warm up or cool down. During these seasonal changes stratified lakes may experience a lake turnover. During this, the epilimnion and hypolimnion mix together and the lake generally becomes un-stratified, meaning it has a constant temperature throughout, and the nutrients are even throughout the lake. There are different names for these turnovers based on how many times the lake does it in a year. Monomictic lakes flip only once, dimictic flip twice, and polymictic lakes flip more than twice. These turnovers can be based on seasonal differences, or can even happen daily. In some cases this causes the lake to have inverse stratification, where the epilimnion has cooler water than the hypolimnion.

Chemistry

With the layer being open to air, the epilimnion usually has high amounts of dissolved O₂ and CO₂. This means the epilimnion is in a constant state of exchange of dissolved gases with the atmosphere. The epilimnion's thickness can be impacted by light exposure; more transparent lakes receive greater levels of light, leading to more stored energy in the water and a shallower epilimnion. The epilimnion is also an area of concern for

algal blooms An algal bloom or algae bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems. It is often recognized by the discoloration in the water from the algae's pigments. The term ''algae'' encompa ...

due to

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ear ...

and nitrogen

runoff Runoff, run-off or RUNOFF may refer to: * RUNOFF, the first computer text-formatting program * Runoff or run-off, another name for bleed, printing that lies beyond the edges to which a printed sheet is trimmed * Runoff or run-off, a stock market ...

from terrestrial sources.

Wind erosion Aeolian processes, also spelled eolian, pertain to wind activity in the study of geology and weather and specifically to the wind's ability to shape the surface of the Earth (or other planets). Winds may erode, transport, and deposit materials ...

carrying soil particles can also introduce many different nutrients into the water as well, and those particles will enter the lake system through the epilimnion.

Biology

Because of its closeness to the surface, and being the area that receives the most sunlight, the epilimnion is a great home for

phytoplankton Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater ecosystems. The name comes from the Greek words (), meaning 'plant', and (), meaning 'wanderer' or 'drifter'. Ph ...

, and other primary producers. Algal blooms are common in this layer as a result of large accumulations of nutrients. In response to large amounts of algae and phytoplankton being present, many fish species are common in this layer as they look for their source of food. Birds will often use the epilimnion as an area for rest and/or fishing. Many insects also make various uses of the epilimnion when it comes to nest making and habitat. Human interactions are also an important part of the biological part of the epilimnion. Some direct human interactions are recreational uses such as swimming, boating, or other activities. Other indirect interactions may come from sewage, runoff of agricultural fields, or land development. These are all able to affect properties of the epilimnion.

References

External links

*http://wow.nrri.umn.edu/wow/teacher/thermal/teaching.html Limnology Aquatic ecology {{geo-term-stub