epilimnion
/ˌɛpɪˈlɪmnɪən
/noun (plural epilimnia /ˌɛpɪˈlɪmnɪə/)
The upper layer of water in a stratified lake.The chemistry of the two parts of a freshwater lake, the epilimnion and the hypolimnion, is affected by biological processes and by circulation....
- The amount of bacterial cells imported via the inlets in relation to bacterioplankton cells produced in the epilimnion of the lakes was also determined.
- At each pond, we took two replicate water samples from the epilimnion using an integrated depth sampler; we took samples from the surface to 1.25 m in Monday Bog and to 1.75 m in Wednesday Bog.
Origin
Early 20th century: from epi- 'above' + Greek limnion (diminutive of limnē 'lake').