World’s lakes ‘losing oxygen rapidly due to global warming’
Freshwater lakes around the world are losing oxygen rapidly as a result of global warming, with potentially disastrous consequences for wildlife, researchers have warned.
A study, published in the journal Nature, suggests oxygen levels in lakes have declined 5.5% at the surface and 18.6% in deep waters over the last four decades – up to nine times faster than in oceans. The temperature of the fresh water has been rising due to global warming and warmer water cannot hold as much oxygen.
The scientists said that while lakes make up only a fraction (around 3%) of Earth’s land surface, they house “a disproportionate concentration of the planet’s biodiversity”.
The researchers said that as well as posing a threat to biodiversity, the concentration of dissolved oxygen in aquatic ecosystems can also influence human health. This is because freshwater habitats are rich in fish, birds and animals, and are a source of food and water for humans.
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