NASA image acquired August 28, 2010

Have the Great Lakes seemed a little less chilly in the past few years? It’s probably because the Great Lakes, like 95 percent of the world’s lakes, are warming.

According to National Geographic, researchers from all over are trying to understand the repercussions of increasing lake temperatures.

 The Global Lake Temperature Collaboration is a network of researchers, including Great Lakes scientists, collecting data about lakes worldwide. The groups first meeting this summer allowed participants to share, analyze and compile findings.

The information collected about warming lakes may help in determining climate trends. The article states that “climate scientists are finding lakes to be very good indicators of climate change.”

Researchers are already seeing the ecological effects of warmer water, the National Geographic piece pointed out. Some of the effects are visible in the Great Lakes region. Issues with water quality and algae blooms are already plaguing warming lakes.