LAKES: Past, present and future of alpine lakes

2026 is shaping up to be Isabel’s consecration year! First PhD paper now published!

Mountain lakes are usually qualified as “sentinels of climate change”. Ironically, however, for these so-called sentinels, the effects of climate warming on water temperature, the most direct and fundamental limnological variable, are poorly documented and may be less pronounced than what their exposure and sensitivity might initially suggest.

In “Decoupling Air and Water: How Throughflow Shapes Alpine Lake Temperatures.” , Isabel shows that cold meltwater flowing into mountain lakes during snowmelt can carry away much of the heat they receive, keeping them cooler than expected. In Lake Lioson that she used as a pilot site, up to 40% of incoming heat was lost this way, with snow conditions strongly affecting how and when the lake warms. Snowpack therefore plays a major role in controlling lake temperatures under climate change.

Herr, I. E., Bouffard, D., & Perga, M. E. (2026). Decoupling Air and Water: How Throughflow Shapes Alpine Lake Temperatures. Inland Waters, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/20442041.2026.2634018

On March 26, Isabel competed for the UNIL Prize for MT 180. As she wrote “I have always been interested in the communication aspect of research and believe it is an essential tool in a researcher’s toolbelt. MT180 takes this principle to its extreme: three minutes, one slide. Every word must earn its place. “

What a show-woman! A brilliant performance (a top 5!) in front of an audience of 700 people “which is not a small feat for someone who gets nervous presenting at our weekly group meeting. The contest also offered a valuable opportunity to discover the diversity of research across disciplines and, perhaps most importantly, to connect with students from other faculties. The atmosphere was supportive, and the process deeply rewarding. “

Here are her three minutes!

As part of the CESAB-funded research team “Fooδ-webs” led by the excellent Julien Cucherousset (Université de Toulouse), Michelle Jackson (University of Oxford) and Julian Olden (University of Washington), we generated a worldwide estimator dor Carbon and Nitrogen stable isotope baselines for fresh waters. The paper is in press for Methods in Ecology and Evolution and the Git Repository already available.

Perga M.-E, Bouletreau, S., Cucherousset, J., Harrod, C., McIntosh, A., Olden, J., Vagnon, C., Jardine, T. (in press) A Global Estimator of C and N isotope baselines for fresh waters. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 10.1111/2041-210x.70225.

The excellent ReProjecting Science had its November’s session on Quagga mussels’ colonization in Lakes, with the projection of the documentary ‘All too Clear : Beneath the surface of Great Lakes” (Inspired Planet Production) and a round-table with Dr Linda Haltiner (specialist in Quagga’s Ecology), Alexis Pochelon (ASL), Alexandra Hauret (Service des Eaux de Lausanne), Caroel Fonty (Alien Limited), hosted by Tomy and chaired by Marie Perga. A super-well attended session (over 120 people), and incredible organization (Thank you the Reprojecting Science team).

We have open positions (isotope specialist, Master’s internship, assistantship) within the quagga muffin project. Applications in December 2025 and January 2026. Check here.