59
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_5, © Springer India 2013
5.1
Classifi cation of Lakes on the
basis of their Position
on the Globe
The lakes could be classifi ed from various points
of views:
The classifi cation pattern after Forel ( 1901 )
and as modifi ed by Whipple ( 1927 ), on the
basis of position of the lake on the globe and
temperature of surface and bottom waters, is
given below.
5.1.1 Polar Lakes
Lakes in which the surface water temperature is
never more than 4 °C
The Polar lakes could further be classifi ed into
the following orders:
(i) Order 1 : Lakes in which the bottom water is
usually at 4 °C throughout the year. Such
lakes generally have only one circulation
period during summer.
(ii) Order 2 : Lakes in which the bottom water
temperature varies around 4 °C and does not
deviate much from it. Such lakes usually
have only one circulation period during
summer.
(iii) Order 3 : Lakes in which the temperature of
bottom water is very much identical to that
of surface water. In these lakes, circulation
is more or less continuous except when
frozen.
5.1.2 Temperate Lakes
In these lakes, the surface temperature varies
above and below 4 °C. These lakes could also be
of the following orders:
(i) Order 1 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water is at 4 °C throughout the year.
There could be two circulation periods,
namely, one in spring and the other in
autumn. Sometimes, there could be none.
(ii) Order 2 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water fl uctuates around 4 °C. There
could be two circulation periods without
wide deviations, namely, one in spring and
the other in autumn.
(iii) Order 3 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water is generally very similar to that of
surface water. Also, in such lakes, circulation is continuous except when frozen.
5.1.3 Tropical Lakes
In these lakes, the surface water temperature
is >4 °C.
These lakes could further be classifi ed into the
following orders:
Order 1 : In these lakes, the temperature of bottom water is near 4 °C throughout the year.
There could be only one circulation period
during winter.
Order 2 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom
water could vary but not much deviating from
5
Lakes in the Landscape, Their
Classifi cation, Origin, Evolution
D. Kar, Wetlands and Lakes of the World,
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1023-8_5, © Springer India 2013
5.1
Classifi cation of Lakes on the
basis of their Position
on the Globe
The lakes could be classifi ed from various points
of views:
The classifi cation pattern after Forel ( 1901 )
and as modifi ed by Whipple ( 1927 ), on the
basis of position of the lake on the globe and
temperature of surface and bottom waters, is
given below.
5.1.1 Polar Lakes
Lakes in which the surface water temperature is
never more than 4 °C
The Polar lakes could further be classifi ed into
the following orders:
(i) Order 1 : Lakes in which the bottom water is
usually at 4 °C throughout the year. Such
lakes generally have only one circulation
period during summer.
(ii) Order 2 : Lakes in which the bottom water
temperature varies around 4 °C and does not
deviate much from it. Such lakes usually
have only one circulation period during
summer.
(iii) Order 3 : Lakes in which the temperature of
bottom water is very much identical to that
of surface water. In these lakes, circulation
is more or less continuous except when
frozen.
5.1.2 Temperate Lakes
In these lakes, the surface temperature varies
above and below 4 °C. These lakes could also be
of the following orders:
(i) Order 1 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water is at 4 °C throughout the year.
There could be two circulation periods,
namely, one in spring and the other in
autumn. Sometimes, there could be none.
(ii) Order 2 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water fl uctuates around 4 °C. There
could be two circulation periods without
wide deviations, namely, one in spring and
the other in autumn.
(iii) Order 3 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom water is generally very similar to that of
surface water. Also, in such lakes, circulation is continuous except when frozen.
5.1.3 Tropical Lakes
In these lakes, the surface water temperature
is >4 °C.
These lakes could further be classifi ed into the
following orders:
Order 1 : In these lakes, the temperature of bottom water is near 4 °C throughout the year.
There could be only one circulation period
during winter.
Order 2 : In these lakes, temperature of bottom
water could vary but not much deviating from
5
Lakes in the Landscape, Their
Classifi cation, Origin, Evolution