https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2146
Lake Maggiore: geomorphological genesis, lake-level evolution, and present and future ecosystems importance
Submitted: 30 May 2023
Accepted: 23 August 2023
Published: 18 September 2023
Accepted: 23 August 2023
Abstract Views: 811
PDF: 140
HTML: 49
HTML: 49
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Lake Maggiore, the second deeper and larger south alpine lake, was selected as a model system to detect the potential damages on water resources, biodiversity and ecosystem health caused by different water levels during the lake-level regulation period (March to November). With a drainage basin exceeding an altitude difference of 4400 m, Lake Maggiore fills a deep valley floor whose bedrock reaches up to 700 m below the present sea level. The cryptodepression occupied by the lake was probably formed during the end of the Miocene and the Pliocene and was shaped successively during the Pleistocene glaciations. Lake Maggiore originated following the Last Glaciation, when it reached its maximum lake-level and extension just after its deglaciation. The mean secular lake-level progressively decreased throughout the Holocene, causing a gradual shrinkage of the lake because of the constant depositional input that created the fluvio-deltaic plains at the mouth of the main tributaries of the lake. The regime of the tributaries is of mixed type, with a spring maximum mainly due to snowmelt and an autumn maximum exclusively of pluvial origin. Water levels naturally tend to reflect the amount of rain or snow precipitation and are expressed through a double cycle: winter and summer characterised by low waters, and spring and autumn by high waters. In 1943, the need to use the waters of the great lakes to have water available in the less favourable periods, led to the construction of a dam at the Lake Maggiore outlet. This structure allows to store water during heavy rainfall or snowmelt periods. The accumulated water is then supplied during the irrigation periods to agriculture (spring and summer) and to industrial users (mainly in autumn and winter). The geomorphological genesis and the ecosystems description was focused on riparian, fluvio-deltaic, and ephemeral systems. For these ecosystems, their evolution considering the hydrological regime of the tributaries, the anthropogenic activities in the watershed and the effects of lake-level management since 1943, was also described. Considering the summer increase, between April and July, to +1.25 m (with possible peaks to +1.50 m) experimentally tested between 2015 and 2020, and the approval of the proposal to continue the test for the next five-year period (2022-2026), we finally emphasise the potential further reduction of reeds and natural habitats and the subsequent loss of biodiversity related to the plan of raise the lake-level to +1.50 m all year round.
Ambrosetti W, Barbanti L, 1999. Deep water warming in lakes: an indicator of climatic change. J. Limnol. 58:1-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.1999.1
Bernoulli D, Ambrosi C, Scapozza C, Stockar R, Schenker FL, Gaggero L, et al., 2018. [Foglio 1373 Mendrisio (parte Est) con parte Ovest del Foglio Como. Atlante geologico della Svizzera 1:25’000, Note esplicative 152].[Atlas in Italian]. 199 pp.
Binelli A, Provini A, 2003. DDT is still a problem in developed countries: the heavy pollution of Lake Maggiore. Chemosphere 5:717-723.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0045-6535(03)00188-7
Bini A, Cita MB, Gaetani M, 1978. Southern Alpine lakes –Hypothesis of an erosional origin related to the Messinian entrenchment. Mar. Geol. 27:271-288.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0025-3227(78)90035-X
Callieri C, Bertoni R, Contesini M, Bertoni F, 2014. Lake level fluctuations boost toxic cyanobacterial “oligotrophic blooms”. PLoS One 9:e109526.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0109526
Ciampittiello M, Saidi H, Kamburska L, Zaupa S, Boggero A. Temporal evolution of lake level fluctuations under flood conditions and impacts on the littoral ecosystems. J. Limnol. 2023;81:2141.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2141
Colleoni F, Wekerle C, Näslund JO, Brandefelt J, Masina S, 2016. Constraint on the penultimate glacial maximum Northern Hemisphere ice topography (≈140 kyrs BP). Quaternary Sci. Rev. 137:97-112.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.024
Czerski D, Giacomazzi D, Scapozza C, 2022. Evolution of fluvial environments and history of human settlements on the Ticino river alluvial plain. Geogr. Helv. 77:1-20.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-1-2022
De Pedrini A, Ambrosi C, Scapozza C, 2022. The 1513 Monte Crenone rock avalanche: numerical model and geomorphological analysis. Geogr. Helv. 77:21-37.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-21-2022
Di Cesare A, Eckert EM, Teruggi A, Fontaneto D, Bertoni R, Callieri C, Corno G, 2015. Constitutive presence of antibiotic resistance genes within the bacterial community of a large subalpine lake. Mol. Ecol. 24:3888-3900.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.13293
Donati P, 1986. [Bellinzona a Castel Grande: 6000 anni di storia].[Article in Italian]. Archeol. Schweiz 9:94-109.
Finckh PG, 1978. Are southern Alpine lakes former Messinian canyons? Geophysical evidence for preglacial erosion in the southern Alpine lakes. Mar. Geol. 27:289-302.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0025-3227(78)90036-1
Fenocchi A, Rogora M, Sibilla S, Ciampittiello M, Dresti C, 2018.Forecasting the evolution in the mixing regime of a deep subalpine lake under climate change scenarios through numerical modelling (Lake Maggiore, Northern Italy/Southern Switzerland). Clim. Dyn. 51:3521-3536.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4094-6
Guzzella LM, Novati S, Casatta N, Roscioli C, Valsecchi L, Binelli A, et al., 2018. Spatial and temporal trends of target organic and inorganic micropollutants in Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano (Italian-Swiss water bodies): contamination in sediments and biota. Hydrobiologia 824:271-290.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3494-7
Hsü RJ, Ryan WBF, Cita MB, 1973. Late Miocene desiccation of the Mediterranean. Nature 242:240-244.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242240a0
Jäggli M, 1922. [Il delta della Maggia e la sua vegetazione].[Book in Italian]. Ber. Schweiz. Bot. Ges. 30:1-174.
Kamleitner S, Ivy-Ochs S, Monegato G, Gianotti F, Akçar N, Vockenhuber C, et al., 2022. The Ticino-Toce glacier system (Swiss-Italian Alps) in the framework of the Alpine Last Glacial Maximum. Quaternary Sci. Rev. 279:107400.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107400
Kulbe T, Livingstone DM, Guilizzoni P, Sturm M, 2008. The use of long-term, high-frequency, automatic sampling data in a comparative study of the hypolimnia of two dissimilar Alpine lakes. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 30:371-376.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03680770.2008.11902146
Monegato G, Kamleitner S, Gianotti F, Martin S, Scapozza C, Ivy-Ochs S, 2022. The Ticino-Toce ice conveyor belts during the Last Glacial Maximum. Alp. Mediterr. Quat. 35:119-134.
Morabito G, Rogora M, Austoni M, Ciampittiello M, 2018. Could the extreme meteorological events in Lake Maggiore watershed determine a climate-driven eutrophication process? Hydrobiologia 824:163-175.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3549-4
Pfiffner OA, Heitzmann P, Lehner P, Frey W, Pugin A, Felber M, 1997. Incision and backfilling of Alpine valleys: Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene processes, p. 265-288. In: OA Pfiffner, P Lehner, P Heitzmann, S Mueller, A Steck (eds.), Deep structure of the Swiss Alps – results from National Research Program 20 (NRP 20). Birkhäuser, Basel.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9098-4_21
Rasmussen SO, Bigler M, Blockley SP, Blunier T, Buchard S, Clausen HB, et al., 2014. A stratigraphic framework for abrupt climatic changes during the Last Glacial period based on three synchronized Greenland ice-core records: refining and extending the INTIMATE event stratigraphy. Quaternary Sci. Rev. 106:14-28.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.09.007
Rey F, Gobet E, Schwörer C, Hafner A, Szidat S, Tinner W, 2020. Climate impacts on vegetation and fire dynamics since the last deglaciation at Moossee (Switzerland). Clim. Past 16:1347-1367.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1347-2020
Rogora M, Buzzi F, Dresti C, Leoni B, Patelli M, et al., 2018. Climatic effects on vertical mixing and deep-water oxygen content in the subalpine lakes in Italy. Hydrobiologia 824:33-50.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3623-y
Rogora M, Austoni M, Caroni R, Giacomotti P, Kamburska L, Marchetto A, et al., 2021.Temporal changes in nutrients in a deep oligomictic lake: the role of external loads versus climate change. J. Limnol. 80:2051.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2021.2051
Roveri M, Flecker R, Krijgsman W, Lofi J, Lugli S, Manzi V, et al., 2014. The Messinian Salinity Crisis: Past and future of a great challenge for marine sciences. Mar. Geol. 352:25-58.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2014.02.002
Ruggiu D, Morabito G, Panzani P, Pugnetti A, 1998. Trends and relations among basic phytoplankton characteristics in the course of the long-term oligotrophication of Lake Maggiore (Italy). Hydrobiologia 369:243-257.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2668-9_21
Salmaso N, Mosello R, 2010. Limnological research in the deep southern subalpine lakes: synthesis, directions and perspectives. Adv. Oceanogr. Limnol. 1:29-66.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19475721003735773
Scapozza C, 2016. Evidence of paraglacial and paraperiglacial crisis in Alpine sediment transfer since the last glaciation (Ticino, Switzerland). Quaternaire 27:139-155.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/quaternaire.7805
Scapozza C, 2022. [Il Quaternario: quadro cronostratigrafico e oscillazioni climatiche dall’Ultimo Massimo Glaciale (UMG/LGM) al presente].[Article in Italian]. Boll. Soc. Tic. Sc. Nat. 110:141-146.
Scapozza C, 2023. [Il contesto ambientale]. In: R. Janke (ed.), [Muralto e l’Alto Verbano in epoca romana].[in Italian]. Antiqua 56: in press.
Scapozza C, Ambrosi C, 2021. Between glaciers, rivers and lakes: the geomorphological landscapes of Ticino, p. 325-336. In: E. Reynard (ed.), Landscapes and landforms of Switzerland. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Cham.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43203-4_22
Scapozza C, Castelletti C, Soma L, Dall’Agnolo S, Ambrosi C, 2014. Timing of LGM and deglaciation in the Southern Swiss Alps. Geomorphologie 20:307-322.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/geomorphologie.10753
Scapozza C, Giacomazzi D, Czerski D, Kamleitner S, Ivy-Ochs S, Mazzaglia D, et al., 2022. Timing of deglaciation and Late Glacial and Holocene infilling of the Ticino valley between Biasca and Lago Maggiore (Southern Switzerland). Proceedings 10th Int. Conf. on Geomorphology, Coimbra, Portugal, 12-16 Sep 2022, ICG2022-118. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5194/icg2022-118
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/icg2022-118
Soncini Sessa R, 2004. [Il progetto Verbano. Modellistica integrata e decisione partecipata in pratica].[Book in Italian]. McGraw-Hill Education, New York: 448 pp.
Spreafico M, Weingartner R, 2005. The Hydrology of Switzerland. Selected aspects and results. Reports of the FOWG, Water Series No. 7. Bern: 139 pp.
Zampaglione D, 1993. [Cinquanta anni di regolazione: Note, informazioni ed elaborazioni idrologiche].[in Italian]. Consorzio del Ticino, Milan: 92 pp.
Edited by
Silvia Quadroni, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalySupporting Agencies
INTERREG Italy-Switzerland project Parchi Verbano TicinoHow to Cite
Scapozza, Cristian, and Nicola Patocchi. 2023. “Lake Maggiore: Geomorphological Genesis, Lake-Level Evolution, and Present and Future Ecosystems Importance”. Journal of Limnology 81 (s2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2022.2146.
Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Similar Articles
- Muhammed Shikhani, Chenxi Mi, Artur Gevorgyan, Gor Gevorgyan, Amalya Misakyan, Levon Azizyan, Klemens Barfus, Martin Schulze, Tom Shatwell, Karsten Rinke, Simulating thermal dynamics of the largest lake in the Caucasus region: The mountain Lake Sevan , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 81 No. s1 (2022): Lake Sevan. Past, present, and future state of a unique alpine lake
- Luigi Hinegk, Luca Adami, Sebastiano Piccolroaz, Marina Amadori, Marcello Moretti, Marco Tubino, Marco Toffolon, Multidecadal analysis of Lake Garda water balance , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 82 (2023)
- Xiangyu Mu, James Brower, Donald I. Siegel, Anthony J. Fiorentino II, Shuqing An, Ying Cai, Delin Xu, Hao Jiang, Using integrated multivariate statistics to assess the hydrochemistry of surface water quality, Lake Taihu basin, China , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 74 No. 2 (2015)
- Zacarias Fresno Lopez, Tommaso Cancellario, Diego Fontaneto, Lyudmila Kamburska, Karimullah Karimullah, Robert L. Wallace, Elizabeth J. Walsh, Radoslav Smolak, A georeferenced dataset for occurrence records of the phylum Rotifera in Africa , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 82 No. s1 (2023): Georeferenced freshwater biodiversity data
- Franco Tassi, Gabriele Bicocchi, Jacopo Cabassi, Francesco Capecchiacci, Orlando Vaselli, Enrico Capezzuoli, Andrea Brogi, Hydrogeochemical processes controlling water and dissolved gas chemistry at the Accesa sinkhole (southern Tuscany, central Italy) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 73 No. 3 (2014)
- Tiina Nõges, Orlane Anneville, Jean Guillard, Juta Haberman, Ain Järvalt, Marina Manca, Giuseppe Morabito, Michela Rogora, Stephen J. Thackeray, Pietro Volta, Ian J. Winfield, Peeter Nõges, Fisheries impacts on lake ecosystem structure in the context of a changing climate and trophic state , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 77 No. 1 (2018)
- Danyang Danyang, Chenhao Li, Lijie Pu, Hugejiletu Hugejiletu, Xiaojing Suo, Ming Zhu, Yalu Zhang, Xiaoqing Wang, Gaili He, Dejing Chen, Changes in and driving factors of the lake area of Huri Chagannao’er Lake in Inner Mongolia , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 81 (2022)
- Claire Archer, Paula Noble, David Kreamer, Vincenzo Piscopo, Marco Petitta, Michael R. Rosen, Simon R. Poulson, Gianluca Piovesan, Scott Mensing, Hydrochemical determination of source water contributions to Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile (central Italy) , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 76 No. 2 (2017)
- Claudia Dresti, Andrea Fenocchi, Diego Copetti, Modelling physical and ecological processes in medium-to-large deep European perialpine lakes: a review , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 80 No. 3 (2021): Celebratory Issue - 80th Anniversary of the Journal of Limnology
- Finn Hirslund, An additional challenge of Lake Kivu in Central Africa - upward movement of the chemoclines , Journal of Limnology: Vol. 71 No. 1 (2012)
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
List of Cited By :
