Lake island
A landmass entirely surrounded by the water of a lake. Lake islands range from small rocks to large inhabited territories.
Island: A landmass surrounded by water, smaller than a continent. Lake islands are one kind of island, distinguished by the water enclosing them.
Glacial landform: A landscape feature formed through the erosion or deposition of material by glaciers. Glaciers can shape lake basins and leave ridges or deposits that become islands.
Isola Bella: An island in Italy’s Lake Maggiore, known for its palace and terraced gardens. Its elaborate gardens demonstrate how a lake island can become a designed landscape.
Island biogeography: The study of how island area, isolation, and other factors shape species and ecosystems. Its principles help explain species patterns on isolated lake islands.
River island: A landmass surrounded by the flowing water of a river. Its enclosing water flows through a channel rather than occupying a lake basin.
Lake: An inland body of standing water occupying a basin. A lake’s basin and water level determine the setting in which its islands form.
Erosion: The removal and transport of rock or soil by water, wind, ice, or gravity. Erosion reshapes island shores and can gradually reduce exposed land.
Mackinac Island: An island in Lake Huron, Michigan, known for its historic settlement and natural features. It illustrates the scale and inhabited character a lake island can attain.
Endemism: The condition of a species being native to and restricted to a particular geographic area. Isolation can allow distinctive species to evolve on lake islands.
Oceanic island: An island surrounded by ocean, commonly formed by volcanism or coral growth. Oceanic islands face marine conditions and are not enclosed by inland lake water.