Scientists analyzed more than 85,000 lakes worldwide in the first global tally of lake color.
Yang and colleagues used satellite photos from 2013 to 2020 to analyze the color of more than 85,000 lakes around the world. Because storms and seasons can temporarily affect a lake’s color, the researchers focused on the most frequent color observed for each lake over the seven-year period. The researchers also createdThe approach is “super cool,” says Dina Leech, an aquatic ecologist at Longwood University in Farmville, Va., who was not involved with the study.
Lakes in places with average summer air temperatures that were below 19° Celsius were more likely to be blue than lakes with warmer summers, the researchers found. But up to 14 percent of the blue lakes they studied are near that threshold. If average summer temperatures increase another 3 degrees Celsius — an amount that scientists think
Extrapolating beyond this sample of lakes is a bit tricky. “We don’t even know how many lakes there are in the world,” says study coauthor Catherine O’Reilly, an aquatic ecologist at Illinois State University in Normal. Many lakes are too small to reliably detect via satellite, but by some estimates, tens of thousands of larger lakes could lose their blue hue.
But the color changes wouldn’t necessarily mean that the lakes are any less healthy. “[Humans] don’t value lots of algae in a lake, but if you’re a certain type of fish species, you might be like ‘this is great,’” O’Reilly says.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Final repairs underway on US 60 in Tempe after water main break in MayThere will be some road restrictions in the area expected to last until late October due to the repairs, according to Tempe.
Consulte Mais informação »
Tempe mayor criticizes flyers sent by Phoenix over proposed entertainment district's impact on flightsThe flyers reportedly told people living in parts of Tempe to 'take action now to keep planes from flying over your home,' over a dispute stemming from an entertainment district that, if built, would become Arizona Coyote's new home. Tempe Mayor Corey Woods was the flyer was not an 'appropriate way to engage in an open and honest dialogue.'
Consulte Mais informação »
Supreme Court's liability case could scramble the online worldThe Supreme Court's Monday announcement that it would rule on a pair of challenges to a foundational law governing online speech set off internet experts' earthquake alerts.
Consulte Mais informação »