Greenland's Lakes in Dire Straits as Color Changed From 'Blue' to 'Brown', Is Fatal for Many Species

Environmental conservationists worldwide have been keeping track of how all the natural resources have been changing in the past decades. Researchers focussed on some subjects in Greenland and the results shocked them, stated TCD. Findings regarding this observation were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers focussed on lakes in West Greenland with a decade-long dataset in their custody from several sources. Their observations implied that the water bodies were in dire straits because of changes brought in by climate change and extreme weather conditions. The study honed in on the Arctic lakes and noted the transformations that occurred after the fall of 2022. This time was chosen because that fall witnessed record-breaking heat and rainfall in the region. 

All the transformations were facilitated by atmospheric rivers, as per the study. Atmospheric rivers are essentially narrow bands containing atmospheric moisture that move heat and water. These bands brought with them both extreme heat and heavy rainfall. The analysis showcased that September 2022 was the warmest as well as the wettest environment that the region experienced since 1940. These events continued steadily until October of the same year. Some additional atmospheric river activity was later noted in July 2023, which again proved to be an exceptionally warm and wet month. Typically precipitation occurs in the region in the form of snow, however, atmospheric rivers brought down rain which further ensured that the effect enhanced across lakes and lands.

The study claimed less than a year after the 2022 fall, the color of the lakes changed from the typical 'blue' to 'brown.' The browning led to a reduction in light penetration for the waters. As per estimates, the penetration was reduced by 50%. This is fatal for many lake species like algae which depend on light for several life functions. The change can seriously alter the existing lake ecosystems.

The experts were stunned by the development because the browning phenomenon usually takes thousands of years to facilitate. Moreover, the resultant impact on the lake ecosystem was detrimental to species that participated in the carbon cycle. "As a result, lakes shifted from being summer carbon sinks to sources, with a >350% increase in carbon dioxide flux from lakes to the atmosphere," researchers wrote. This implies that the lakes no longer work as an efficient storehouse for carbon which if released to the environment increases the planet's average temperature.

In place of storing these greenhouse gases, the lakes were increasing their quantity in the atmosphere. The excessive leaking of gases like carbon dioxide could accelerate phenomena like global warming.  "Arctic lakes lie at a sensitive threshold for shifts in metabolic balance," the study's authors wrote. "As the responses between climate, terrestrial–aquatic linkages, and carbon dynamics are tightly coupled, climate-driven shifts in hydrologic connectivity of lakes will propagate changing [greenhouse gas] emissions." 

In total 7,500 lakes are supposed to be affected in the region and with AR frequency estimated to increase exponentially by the century's end, more dire changes could follow. Local communities that depend on these lakes for water could be the most vulnerable of the lot, as the water quality will take a huge hit.