Four decades of terrestrial dissolved organic matter in lakes across the Yangtze River Delta: Spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors

Key Points

• Dissolved organic matter exhibited notable changes across four decades, impacting lake water quality.
• A significant increase in organic matter levels was observed, correlating with pollution metrics across the region.
• Observational analysis focused on lakes in the Yangtze River Delta, revealing effects of anthropogenic factors.
• These findings highlight the urgent need for pollution management strategies to improve lake ecosystems.