Mixolimnion

In physical limnology, the mixolimnion is the upper body of water in meromictic lakes , which, like in a normal holomictic lake , undergoes a year-cycle shift . This body of water behaves like a normal lake with epilimnion , metalimnion and usually also a hypolimnion , but with the difference that instead of the sea bed there is a deep water layer ( monimolimnion ) which, due to its depth and its higher density, is not affected by the water circulation is captured. The mixolimnion constantly loses biomass and thus nutrients to the monimolimnion through sedimentation .

Under unfavorable conditions, part of the monimolimnion can also be included in the mixing in the annual circulation. Because of its high content of toxic degradation products (e.g. hydrogen sulfide ), fish can die in the mixolimnion.