Limnology is the study of inland waters — lakes, reservoirs, ponds, and wetlands — encompassing their physics, chemistry, and biology. From the seasonal turnover of temperate lakes to the oxygen-starved depths of eutrophic waters, freshwater systems host complex interactions between thermal stratification, nutrient loading, biological productivity, and sedimentation that mirror and amplify global environmental trends.
These simulations let you explore lake science hands-on. Watch thermal layers form and overturn with the seasons, trigger algal blooms by adding nutrients, trace dissolved oxygen profiles from surface to sediment, read climate history from lake sediment cores, and balance the water budget of a lake through precipitation, evaporation, and outflow.