{"id":4112,"date":"2023-06-13T19:42:47","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T19:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/?page_id=4112"},"modified":"2023-09-26T12:09:54","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T16:09:54","slug":"the-lake-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lake Ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"4112\" class=\"elementor elementor-4112\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1c2b5007 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1c2b5007\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5c842bd0\" data-id=\"5c842bd0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55c0999e elementor-widget__width-auto elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"55c0999e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Lake Ecosystem<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a237215 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a237215\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d33a92e\" data-id=\"d33a92e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f06c14 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0f06c14\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Lake Ecosystem<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7437279 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7437279\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3eb00e\" data-id=\"b3eb00e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-365a936 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"365a936\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Lake Simcoe provides watershed residents with many valuable socioeconomic and ecosystem services, including drinking water and wastewater assimilation, tourism, recreation, and irrigation, contributing an estimated $922.7 million annually to Ontario\u2019s economy. Unfortunately, climate change is impacting significant aspects of the lake ecosystem, and these important services will be impacted as a result.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-51bb762\" data-id=\"51bb762\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6241ab4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6241ab4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/lake-simcoe-winter-q8jbkxwvj3vmsmz5skt3myr3wzjgcc5q2v7fsrgp88.jpg\" title=\"lake-simcoe-winter\" alt=\"lake-simcoe-winter\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6201379 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6201379\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b2f2c31\" data-id=\"b2f2c31\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-45b2c17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"45b2c17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Lake Ice<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b06ca79 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b06ca79\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u200bLake ice cover is not only critical to ecosystem functions in the lake but also to the winter recreational economy, cultural heritage, and winter transportation. Ice record data indicates that the period of ice cover on Lake Simcoe has been decreasing, and in recent years, open water has even remained throughout the winter. Lake ice is highly vulnerable to climate change. Climate modelling predicts that this will only continue and that the duration of open water may extend by up to 47 days (from 257 days in the baseline period [1971-2000] to 304 days by 2100). This can impact lake processes as thin ice or open water allows sunlight to enter the water column in the winter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e24259e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e24259e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Stratification<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2dea5f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2dea5f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Lake stratification is the separation of the water in a lake into distinct layers, based on water temperature and density, with the warmest (less dense) layer near the top and the coldest (most dense) layer at the bottom of the lake. Stratification is a natural process and occurs on an annual basis, with intervening periods of mixing as seasonal air temperatures change. Measurements of the timing and duration of water column stratification in Lake Simcoe since the 1980s show that stratification is occurring earlier in spring and ending later in fall. As this period of stratification extends, deep waters in the lake may become more depleted in oxygen, impacting the coldwater fishery.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc20841 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fc20841\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Dissolved Oxygen<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-713b1ad elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"713b1ad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>During summer, dissolved oxygen in deep water decreases primarily because of the decomposition of organic matter. This has the potential for negative impacts to fish and other organisms in the lake, particularly those coldwater loving species that return to the colder deeper waters of the lake during the summer. Since stratification is expected to extend under climate change, the end-of-summer dissolved oxygen level in Lake Simcoe may decrease by up to 1 mg\/L by 2100. However, the amount of dissolved oxygen may actually increase in winter, as decreasing lake ice allows light into the water and photosynthesis can occur, producing oxygen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c1d0c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4c1d0c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Phosphorus<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-619175d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"619175d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Phosphorus is an important element in the lake ecosystem, but in high concentrations can lead to eutrophication, where excessive nutrients can stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life, resulting in decreased oxygen levels. Excess nutrients can also cause harmful algal blooms. Although phosphorus loading from human activities is the main source in Lake Simcoe, low oxygen conditions can also result from the release of stored phosphorus from lake-bottom sediment. With climate change contributing to an extended period of stratification, this re-release of phosphorous from lake sediments will likely become an ever-growing challenge.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e4425e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7e4425e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Algae<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9702321 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9702321\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Algae is valuable to the lake. It forms the basis of the aquatic food chain, supporting organisms like invertebrates and fish. Climate change is projected to alter the size structure of algal communities as warmer, more stable water bodies favour smaller, lighter species over heavier forms that need frequent water column mixing to remain in the sunlit areas. Warming temperature and earlier ice-off timing also results in earlier spring algae blooms, which is expected to negatively impact young fish growth and survival, and reduce recreational enjoyment of the lake. A trend toward warmer surface waters, and a longer period of water column stratification, may also give a competitive advantage to more harmful cyanobacteria (i.e. blue-green algal blooms).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e977cb2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e977cb2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Aquatic Plants<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca43a39 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ca43a39\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Aquatic plants are an important part of the lake ecosystem. They provide habitat for fish and invertebrates, reduce shoreline erosion, and contribute to nutrient cycling and primary production. As water temperatures warm and the growing season lengthens, increased plant growth in the lake is expected. Unfortunately, non-native species from warmer climates may be the ones that benefit the most.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1c41e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a1c41e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Pathogens\u200b<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ed7dc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ed7dc9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Climate change projections for the watershed forecast warmer temperatures and more frequent and intense precipitation events, combined with extended dry periods, which indicate that pathogen outbreaks (e.g. E. coli) and beach closures may become more common in the future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-083a4a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"083a4a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fish Communities<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5ba3c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a5ba3c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Projected increases in water temperature and decreased dissolved oxygen levels due to climate change are likely to impair coldwater fish species (e.g. lake trout) in the lake, impacting their spawning, growth and survival rates. On the other hand, warmer water conditions will allow warmwater species such as smallmouth bass to thrive. Additionally, warmer waters will allow more southern species to move into the lake if migration routes exist.\u200b<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-474a5f88 elementor-section-content-bottom elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"474a5f88\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4970ac73\" data-id=\"4970ac73\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e43af1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-5035 elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3e43af1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3355\" style=\"font-weight: inherit;\" src=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pngegg-4-300x287.png\" alt=\"phone icon\" width=\"50\" height=\"47\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pngegg-4-300x287.png 300w, https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pngegg-4-768x734.png 768w, https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pngegg-4.png 981w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 50px) 100vw, 50px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0<strong>Who to Contact\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><b>Integrated Watershed Management\u00a0<\/b><br \/>\u2706 <a href=\"tel:905-895-1281\">905-895-1281<\/a><br \/>\u2706 <a href=\"tel:1-800-465-0437\">1-800-465-0437<\/a> Toll free <br \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"emoji\" role=\"img\" draggable=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/14.0.0\/svg\/2709.svg\" alt=\"\u2709\" \/> <a href=\"mailto:info@LSRCA.on.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">info@LSRCA.on.ca<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6f7590b9\" data-id=\"6f7590b9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Lake Ecosystem The Lake Ecosystem Lake Simcoe provides watershed residents with many valuable socioeconomic and ecosystem services, including drinking water and wastewater assimilation, tourism, recreation, and irrigation, contributing an estimated $922.7 million annually to Ontario\u2019s economy. Unfortunately, climate change is impacting significant aspects of the lake ecosystem, and these important services will be impacted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":554,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Lake Ecosystem The Lake Ecosystem Lake Simcoe provides watershed residents with many valuable socioeconomic and ecosystem services, including drinking water and wastewater assimilation, tourism, recreation, and irrigation, contributing an estimated $922.7 million annually to Ontario\u2019s economy. Unfortunately, climate change is impacting significant aspects of the lake ecosystem, and these important services will be impacted [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-26T16:09:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter-150x150.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/\",\"name\":\"The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter-150x150.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-13T19:42:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-09-26T16:09:54+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter.jpg\",\"width\":950,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"lake-simcoe-winter\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The Lake Ecosystem\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/\",\"name\":\"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\",\"description\":\"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LSRCA_Colour_Logo_PNG.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LSRCA_Colour_Logo_PNG.png\",\"width\":922,\"height\":269,\"caption\":\"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","og_description":"The Lake Ecosystem The Lake Ecosystem Lake Simcoe provides watershed residents with many valuable socioeconomic and ecosystem services, including drinking water and wastewater assimilation, tourism, recreation, and irrigation, contributing an estimated $922.7 million annually to Ontario\u2019s economy. Unfortunately, climate change is impacting significant aspects of the lake ecosystem, and these important services will be impacted [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/","og_site_name":"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","article_modified_time":"2023-09-26T16:09:54+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter-150x150.jpg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/","url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/","name":"The Lake Ecosystem - The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter-150x150.jpg","datePublished":"2023-06-13T19:42:47+00:00","dateModified":"2023-09-26T16:09:54+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/lake-simcoe-winter.jpg","width":950,"height":250,"caption":"lake-simcoe-winter"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/home\/the-lake-ecosystem\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Lake Ecosystem"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#website","url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/","name":"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","description":"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#organization","name":"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority","url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LSRCA_Colour_Logo_PNG.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/LSRCA_Colour_Logo_PNG.png","width":922,"height":269,"caption":"The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2024-05-04 10:05:56","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4112"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4112"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10661,"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4112\/revisions\/10661"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lsrca.on.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}