Lake biodiversity dynamics and global change: lakes in the Alpine region

Alpine lakes are influenced by multiple driving factors, acting at both global and local scales. Ecological responses, changes in biodiversity and community structure reflect these interactions. Understanding them requires nested approaches, both spatially and temporally. In particular, identifying long-term trends requires sustained physico-chemical and biological monitoring within the framework of an observatory, incorporating palaeolimnological approaches and more ad hoc studies to clarify short-term ecological dynamics. The Alpine Lakes Observatory (SOERE) thus enables us to track changes in the main lakes of the French Alps, demonstrating that the effects of global warming on lake biodiversity vary locally, depending on local characteristics.