Original data of warming and atmospheric deposition drive recent reorganization of diatom community in alpine lakes of the eastern monsoonal region of China

This study explored ecological responses of Erye and Sanye lakes to climate change and atmospheric deposition based on multi-proxy sedimentary records in the Taibai Mountain (eastern China). Diatom communities of the two study lakes shifted from large-sized benthic taxa to small fragilariod species after the mid-20th century, synchronous with an increase in diatom production and a decrease in mean length of diatom valves. Changes in diatom communities were significantly correlated with nitrogen deposition in both lakes and climate warming in the upstream lake. A comparison of diatom records of sixteen alpine lakes in the eastern monsoonal region of China revealed that diatom flora shifts in southern lakes mainly occurred from the early 20th century and were closely linked to atmospheric deposition, whereas major changes in diatom communities in northern lakes after the 1950s mainly responded to climate warming.