Posted by Earth’s lakes are experiencing an alarming drop in oxygen levels, new research shows.
Similar trends have also been observed across rivers and seas. But some lakes are losing oxygen up to nine times faster than oceans.
A new study has now identified how much the different mechanisms responsible are contributing to this loss of lake oxygen globally, which between 1980 and 2017 was 5.5 percent in surface waters and 18.6 percent in deep waters.
Current warming accounts for up to 55 percent of the decrease in lake oxygen levels, the researchers estimate. If this trend continues, Earth’s lakes could have up to 9 percent less oxygen by the end of the century under worst-case climate scenarios, the team warns.
Source: Environment 30 March 2025 By Tessa Koumoundouros
Lake Stewardship 