In recent years, the waterways of Alaska are undergoing a surprising and worrying change: their once crystal-clear waters are turning orange. The main cause is global warming and the resulting thawing of permafrost. This process is releasing metals such as iron, zinc, copper and cadmium, which they chemically alter the water.
The impact of permafrost on water color
The phenomenon it was first observed in 2018 along the Brooks Range, a mountain range in northern Alaska. Since then, the orange color has affected 75 waterways, including those in the National Park of Kobuk Valley. But why does thawing permafrost turn water orange?
When permafrost thaws, the metals stored within it are exposed to oxygen and undergo chemical alterations. These metals they come then released into the environment and end up in waterways. The iron is the main responsible for the chromatic change, which leads also a lowering of the pH and an increase in the turbidity of the water.
In Alaska, consequences for the ecosystem and local communities
This phenomenon does not only have aesthetic implications. The concentrations elevated levels of metals such as iron and sulfates are associated with a dramatic decline in the diversity of macroinvertebrates and the abundance of fish. This can have negative effects on subsistence fishing and drinking water supplies in rural areas of Alaska.
Research has highlighted how these alterations can threaten freshwater fish species such as Salvelinus malmasalmon keta and Alaskan whitefish. There community scientific, alarmed by these results, is working to provide information appropriate to local communities, which could also be directly affected at the human health level.
What do you think can be done to mitigate the effects of change climate on local ecosystems?
Heating of the Arctic continue to to progress, and phenomena like this could become increasingly common. Share your thoughts and join the discussion!
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