A global inventory of lakes based on high-resolution satellite imagery

TLDR

Accurate estimates of lake abundance and size distribution are essential for quantifying limnetic contributions to the global carbon cycle, yet current estimates are poorly constrained. The study aims to create GLOWABO to enable global evaluation of fundamental limnological problems and improve quantification of limnetic contributions to biogeochemical processes. The authors used high‑resolution satellite imagery to compile GLOWABO, a database of all lakes larger than 0.002 km². GLOWABO identifies ~117 million lakes covering ~5 × 10⁶ km² (3.7 % of nonglaciated land), with large and intermediate lakes dominating area, and shows that lakes are less abundant but occupy a greater total surface area than earlier extrapolations.

Abstract

An accurate description of the abundance and size distribution of lakes is critical to quantifying limnetic contributions to the global carbon cycle. However, estimates of global lake abundance are poorly constrained. We used high-resolution satellite imagery to produce a GLObal WAter BOdies database (GLOWABO), comprising all lakes greater than 0.002 km2. GLOWABO contains geographic and morphometric information for ~117 million lakes with a combined surface area of about 5 × 106 km2, which is 3.7% of the Earth's nonglaciated land area. Large and intermediate-sized lakes dominate the total lake surface area. Overall, lakes are less abundant but cover a greater total surface area relative to previous estimates based on statistical extrapolations. The GLOWABO allows for the global-scale evaluation of fundamental limnological problems, providing a foundation for improved quantification of limnetic contributions to the biogeochemical processes at large scales.