Lake Van, the world's largest soda lake, plays a crucial role in moderating the climate of eastern Türkiye by limiting extreme summer temperatures and preventing excessive winter cooling, according to a researcher at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University.
Assoc. Prof. Mustafa Akkuş of the university's Faculty of Fisheries said the lake's high heat capacity enables it to act as a massive natural heat reservoir, stabilizing temperatures across the surrounding region and providing significant environmental benefits.
Speaking about data collected by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-3 satellite, Akkuş said imagery from July 21 showed land surface temperatures around Lake Van exceeding 40 degrees Celsius during the daytime, while the lake's surface temperature remained between 23 and 24 degrees Celsius.
"The lake's high heat capacity prevents the surrounding areas from becoming excessively cold in winter and excessively hot in summer, helping regulate the regional climate," Akkuş said.
He said the lake's moderating influence extends beyond its rich aquatic ecosystem, shaping the meteorological balance and terrestrial climate of the surrounding geography.
According to Akkuş, this natural climate-regulating effect reduces heat stress, lowers the demand for energy used for cooling, helps protect agricultural crops from extreme heat waves, improves living conditions and strengthens the region's capacity to adapt to climate change.
Lake Van is home to unique endemic species and is widely recognized for its distinctive natural landscape. Researchers say its ecological and physical characteristics make it one of the region's most important ecosystems, influencing not only biodiversity but also the climate of eastern Türkiye.
