Week 1 at Konnevesi
Monday
10:30 Introduction
• Course outlines
• Safety on ice
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Introductory lectures
• Physical limnology (Merja)
• Plankton (Kalevi)
• Fish (Timo)
17:00 (?) Supper
Field work phase
Tuesday-Thursday
• 2 groups at small lakes (Merja & Kalevi)
• One group at Konnevesi (large lake)
- the groups are rotated on daily basis
- one English group
- each group has specific responsibilities
of reporting (Power Point)
Friday (untill lunch)
• Data handling
Small lake work
1. Two small lakes
- depth mapping
- snow, slush and ice thickness mapping
- temperature mapping
- oxygen mapping
- ice structure
- phyto- and zooplankton assemblages
(vertical samples)
- bottom animal samples
Small lake work…
2. Few other small lakes
Limited number of measurements and
samples according to the available time
The aim of this part is to introduce into
the variability between sites
Products
• Depth maps (north-south oriented)
• Lake area, volume, relative depth and hypsographic curve
• Ice, slush and snow thickness distribution maps and graphs
• Transect isotherms, and oxygen (longitudinal and orthogonal)
• Variation in ice structure
• Example vertical distributions of temperature, oxygen and
oxygen saturation
• Phyto- and zooplankton plankton species composition
(tables) and vertical distributions (in relation to temperature and
oxygen) of selected taxa
• Bottom animals
Week 2 in Jyväskylä
Monday-Wednesday
- one group at Päijänne (part of day)
- two groups looking at phytoplankton, and
zooplankton samples in the lab
- partly also preparing the results
Thursday – Friday morning
- finalising the presentations
Friday afternoon
- seminar presentations
Safety on the ice
Starting points
• Evaluate the possible risks before entering on
the ice
• Think the practices how you would cope with the
potential dangers e.g.
- you are not alone
- you have a mobile phone with enough
battery life
- availability of emergency transportation or
access to warm place
Places of danger in winter field
work: Running waters
• Danger is radically emphasized by the fact
that flow can draw you under the ice
• Running waters are extremely
unpredictable practically everywhere
-Situation can change rapidly – never
think that the same ice is equally thick
next time
Places of danger in winter field
work: Running waters
• Basic rules:
- never work alone
- when moving on ice, one must verify the
thickness of ice cover at each step
- still additional precautions are compulsory
(e.g. rope on the waist, possible availability
of boat)
Places of danger
lake and pond waters
• Flow of water is the key issue
-In front of nflowing and outflowing rivers
-Narrows
-Ends of capes
-Ground water seepage areas
• Cracks in ice (unpredictable; whole winter)
Seasonality
• Towards spring danger increases
- melting begins
-less cold
-solar radiation starts to penetrate
water
- effects of flow are emphasized
- ice structure is changing
Enhancement of safety
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Ice needles (particularly useful in early winter)
Floating suit (note!, only extends life)
Rope (
Rod
Skiis
Boat
Ice iron
Having fallen into ice
1. Get out of water
2. Try to limit cooling (it happens rapidly)
- if you are near to lab or any equivalent
>> go inside as soon as possible
- if you can reach lab in reasonable time
>> share dry clothes, if possible
>> inform lab for necessary actions
- If you are too far from lab (or equivalent)
>> call help (or/and dry clothes,
blankets, etc.)
>> seek sheltered place and make fire
Having fallen into ice…
3. Return normal body temperature / have
necessary treatment
- bath
- sauna
Various winter practices
Coping with cold
Personal aspects
1. Wind is the worst enemy
>> Rough guidelines: if weather is calm,
avoid field work at temperature below -20
oC (when windy -10 oC) or use a shelter
>> Clothing should be enough tight
against wind
>> Also face and ears should be
protected
(Note even in calm weather wind
caused by driving on ice)
Coping with cold
Personal aspects…
2. Prevent getting wet
>> Good watertight rubber boots
>> Water repellent clothes
>> Adequate gloves which still allow
precise handling
>> Do not get wet by swetting, too
Coping with cold
Personal aspects…
3. Keep yourself warm
>> specific insulated boots
>> enough insulated clothing for standing
at one place
- preferably clothing is layered so that
during physically more demanding
phases excessive heat accumulation
can be limited (sometimes the use of
zip may have similar function)
Coping with cold
Sampling devices etc.
1. All possible should be done ready in the
laboratory before the field work
>> markings (waterproof)
>> systematic arrangement of bottles
etc.
>> prethinking of all details of work flow
in the field
2. Keep all devices and bottles (particularly
those with ground glass stoppers) dry
before sampling
Coping with cold
Sampling devices etc.
3. During sampling minimize the time the
devices are exposed to cold
>> rapid well organised field practices
>> a hole or or water filled depression in
ice to keep devices when those are not
needed (or sometimes warm water in
insulated box)
>> for critical cases a couple of liters hot
water in a vacuum insulated bottle
Coping with cold
Sampling devices etc.
4. After sampling
>> remove water (e.g. by blowing) from
any parts of devices which must not
freeze or immerse the whole device in
water
Coping with cold
Samples
1. Irrespective temperature immerse bottles
with samples in lake water taken to a cool
box - in critical conditions and with glass
bottles this must be made within seconds
2. With box lid tightly closed bottles can be
safely stored for hours in a few liters of
cold lake water
Coping with cold
Samples
3. In many cases, before going back to the
laboratory it is necessary to immobilize
sample bottles
Basic field tools
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Ice drill
Ice tool
Ice saw
Slush sieve
Spade
Wet proof notebook
Moving on the ice
1. Short distances from the lab or the car
- walking with a pulka
2. Long distances
- motor sledge with pulka
- notice fuel and oil requirements
- some types unsuitable on bare ice
- easiest way to get fallen into ice
- in cold never leave into slush for
longer time
Moving on the ice
3. In dangerous conditions
- hydrocopter
Additional notes
• When incubating something in lake, use
iron wire to ascertain that you will not cut
the hanging rope
• Mark each hole made in ice which is larger
than drill bore (e.g. with twigs of trees)
Winter limnology
• Vacant research niche with exciting
challenges
BUT
• Harsh and demanding season to work
• Due to cold also more dangerous than
in summer