Scientists Predict a Shortage of Drinking Water on Earth


American scientists from the Rensseller Polytechnic Institute were able to fix the decrease in the level of oxygen in freshwater lakes. 

According to experts, such a phenomenon is caused by accelerating the pace of global warming on Earth.

The journal Nature indicates that researchers studied 393 lakes, most of which are located in temperate latitudes, taking into account data for the period between 1941 and 2017.

It became clear to the researchers, that the lakes studied, lose oxygen 2.75-9.3 times faster than the oceans, which negatively affects their ecosystem. 

The study showed that since 1980, the oxygen content in the reservoirs decreased by 5.5% on the surface and 18.6% at the bottom. 

According to the researchers, the reason for this decrease is that the water temperature in these lakes increased during 10 years by 0.38 degrees Celsius. 

The consequences of global warming contribute to the proliferation of blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), whose toxins pose a threat to other organisms that live in fresh water.

The low level of oxygen in fresh water creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of anaerobic bacteria, which emit methane, which increases greenhouse gas emissions and accelerates climate change. 

This means that warming could lead to the depletion of potable water reserves and the imbalance of freshwater ecosystems.