Scientists studied 30 Sierra Nevada ponds that can swing 20°C in a day. Shrinking snowpack may make them smaller, warmer and more nutrient-rich

Sierra Nevada ponds can fluctuate in water temperature by 20°C within a single day, making them highly thermally variable ecosystems.

Winter snowpack acts as a 'master driver' of summer pond size, temperature, and nutrient levels, according to a study in Ecosphere.

Researchers studied 30 ponds across the Sierra Nevada over four summers, comparing drought and high-snowfall years.

Shrinking snowpack due to climate change is projected to make ponds smaller, warmer, and more nutrient-rich.