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The Canadian lakes are slowly but steadily turning into jelly since the industrial pollution has given jelly-clad organisms an edge over their calcium-protected competitors, researchers say, warning about potential impact on drinking water systems.
A battle between competing planktons in the delicate Ontario Lakes ecosystems is being won by “jelly-clad organism” called Holopedium that’s got an advantage over the planktonic Daphnia – all thanks to industrial pollution and acid rain – says new research by Cambridge University scientists PUBLISHED in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The population of Holopedium – which has a “jelly” coat that gives them more protection from water predators – have doubled since the 1980s in many of the lakes, scientists behind the study say.
The dramatic decline in the water calcium levels has left Daphnia without crucial component to develop their exoskeleton defending them from predators. Thus Daphnia populations are declining, leaving more algae for other organisms to feed on, such as jelly-protected Holopedium.
Scientists warn that the “jellification” of Canada’s lakes will further prevent vital nutrients in the food chain flow and may eventually clog filtration and drinking water systems, as in Ontario, some 20 percent of drinking water comes from lakes with depleted calcium concentrations.
originally posted by: DumpMaster
a reply to: Walsh
Our stupid and deceptive government is to blame for this.
A few years ago in one of their sneaky mega bills, they changed the number of protected lakes & waterways in Canada from over 40,000 to 92.
Harper is anti-environment and pro-pollution
originally posted by: DumpMaster
a reply to: Walsh
Our stupid and deceptive government is to blame for this.
A few years ago in one of their sneaky mega bills, they changed the number of protected lakes & waterways in Canada from over 40,000 to 92.
Harper is anti-environment and pro-pollution
The team also investigated how far back the jellification of these lakes began. By analyzing sediment cores and fossil records, they show that Holopedium have been steadily increasing ever since around 1850 — a time of early industrialization and consequent acid deposit increases. But the process really gathered pace from the 1980s onwards.
“It may take thousands of years to return to historic lake water calcium concentrations solely from natural weathering of surrounding watersheds,” said Tanentzap.