Great Lakes Are Facing the Danger of Nonnative Species’ Invasion and Global Climate Change

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One of the most beautiful places on Earth is the Great Lakes. A new book explores how invasive species and climate change have made the condition of the Lakes grim.

Science News reported that every year people throng the Great Lakes to enjoy the comfort of the summer. They swim and make merry, but an ominous danger is engulfing the Lakes continuously. An environmental catastrophe is surfacing just below the water's surface.

Great Lakes are the lakes of fresh water interconnected with each other and located on the USA-Canada border. Famous journalist Dan Egan minutely describes the not so good condition of the lakes in his book "The Death and Life of the Great Lakes". The book explains how the bad effects of continuous urbanization and climate change are hampering the lakes.

National Wildlife Federation reported that the Great Lakes have 11,000 miles of shoreline. The lakes also contain coastal wetlands of 530,000 acres. The lakes include Michigan, Huron, Ontario, Superior and Erie lakes.

These lakes contain twenty percent of the Earth's surface freshwater. Freighters from different places are entering into the Great Lakes through the canals and seaways and the result is devastating. These freshwater lakes are no more pollution free.

Surprisingly the invasion of the Great Lakes by two hundred non-native species makes the condition of the freshwater very concerning. The key offenders include sea lampreys, alewives, and others. These invaders together have destroyed the food webs.

Famous journalist Dan Egan has perfectly described this crucial fact. Frequent climate change is hampering the water level of the Great Lakes. The presence of the toxic algae creates a more complex situation. In a word, the freshwater lakes are facing an imminent danger.

Apart from this bad news, a good news is also surfacing. After experiencing a series of bad impacts the Great Lakes are now gaining some positive results with the rediscovery of whitefish and trout. Whitefish and trout are currently capturing a good position in the lakes and it is a good thing for the ecosystem.

Scientists are trying to invent some ways to stop the invasion of the Asian carp and to avoid the lurking danger behind the known picture. Dan Egan opines that the ignorance of the common people is the biggest threat to the Great Lakes. The journalist hopes that future generation may recover the freshwater lakes from this grim condition.

To know more about "The freshwater lakes", read Latinos Health.