{{Short description|Lake mixing occasionally during the year thus preventing stratification}} {{lake stratification topics}}
'''Holomictic lakes''' are lakes that have a uniform temperature and density from surface to bottom at a specific time during the year, which allows the lake waters to mix in the absence of stratification.
==Details== Holomictic lakes mix at least occasionally, in contrast to meromictic lakes.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1139/f83-207 |last=Lewis |first=William M. Jr. |year=1983 |title=A revised classification of lakes based on mixing |journal=Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |volume=40 |issue=10 |pages=1779–1787 |url=http://cires.colorado.edu/limnology/pubs/pdfs/Pub058.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306140542/http://cires.colorado.edu/limnology/pubs/pdfs/Pub058.pdf |archive-date=2009-03-06 }}</ref> Most lakes on Earth are holomictic; meromictic lakes are rare, although they may be less rare than commonly thought.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hakala |first1=A |title=Meromixis as a part of lake evolution; observations and a revised classification of true meromictic lakes in Finland. |journal=Boreal Environment Research |date=2004 |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=37 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228894579}}</ref> Amictic lakes are sealed off by ice and never mix.
There are five types of holomictic lakes:<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kevern|first1=Niles R.|last2=King|first2=Darrell L.|last3=Ring|first3=Robert|title=Lake Classification Systems - Part 1|journal=The Michigan Riparian|date=1996}}</ref> * Polymictic (mixing many times annually) * Cold Monomictic (mixing once annually; exhibiting negative stratification) * Warm Monomictic (mixing once annually; exhibiting positive stratification) * Dimictic (mixing twice annually) * Oligomictic (mixing less than once annually) [[File: PrasharLake.jpg|thumb|left|Holomictic type Prashar Lake]]
==See also== * Thermocline * {{portal-inline|Lakes}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-36 "Circulation: annual patterns of dimictic lakes" at Encyclopædia Britannica Online]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holomictic Lake}} Category:Lakes by type
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