Evolution and magnitude of spatial patterns in the winter cover of temperate lakes

Abstract

The evolution of the winter cover of lakes in Southern Ontario, Canada, is described and explained in great detail with emphasis on spatial patterns. Shore to centre trends of each cover component, snow, white ice, black ice and total ice are identified and the evolution of those trends followed throughout the winter of 1976‑77. Total ice tended to be relatively consistent spatially but snow and white ice consistently decreased in thickness away from lake margins while black ice increased in thickness in the same direction. The implications of the spatial variability including the temporal variation of the spatial variability are discussed notably with respect to the design of lake cover sampling programs. Sampling guidelines were sug­gested which take into account differences between the cover components and changes during a winter.