Vanishing Lakes
Siberian Plateau, Russia

Global warming is causing large lakes in Siberia to disappear. Warmer temperatures are melting the permanently frozen ground, or permafrost, underneath many Arctic lakes. 

Between 1973 and 2004, more than 125 lakes drained completely into the melted soil. The loss of lakes is changing the region’s ecology. One effect is decreased habitat for migratory birds that stop at Arctic lakes.

Researchers
Laurence C. Smith, UCLA (lead)

Paper
“Disappearing Arctic Lakes,” Science, 3 June 2005, 38:1429

Image Credits
Siberia (all) - NASA MODIS
Aerial of lakes – Karen Frey, UCLA
Arctic lake Landsat imagery–Global Land Cover Facility, University of Maryland
Bartailed godwit -  Tim Bowman
Pochard - Gary Houston
Red Knot - Andrew Easton