Freshwater

Road Salt’s Harm to Freshwater Ecosystems Could Ripple Out to All of Us

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We have a salt problem, and we’re not referring to our diets. As effective as salt is at de-icing our highways in the winter, new research reveals that its extensive use is also causing damage to freshwater ecosystems.   What’s more, saltwater concentrations deemed safe by regulators in the US, Canada, and Europe aren’t doing … Read more

Easter Islanders relied on freshwater springs under the sea to survive

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Surveys of Easter Island show that ancient settlements and the sites of the island’s famous giant statues are situated close to freshwater springs that are only accessible at low tide Environment 4 March 2022 By Michael Le Page The moai statues of Ahu Tongariki, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Shutterstock/Alberto Loyo Undersea springs may have been … Read more

Algal blooms in freshwater lakes are becoming more common worldwide

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Lakes across the world have seen an increase in algal blooms that strangle freshwater ecosystems, according to an analysis of satellite images from 1982 to 2019 Environment 3 February 2022 By Chen Ly An algal bloom in Lake Erie photographed by a Landsat satellite in September 2017 Joshua Stevens/NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat 8 data … Read more

Antarctic ‘Megaberg’ Released 152 Billion Tons of Freshwater Just Before Melting

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Scientists have been keeping a close eye on the ‘megaberg’ designated as A68a since it split off from Antarctica back in July 2017 – and new research highlights just how much freshwater it’s released into the ocean during its late melting process.   Satellite monitoring systems indicate that for three months at the end of its … Read more