Streams and rivers across the United States have warmed significantly over the past few decades, a trend that could be detrimental to the nation's aquatic ecosystems.
A team of ecologists and hydrologists led by Sujay Kaushal at the University of Maryland analysed historical records of water temperature for 40 streams and rivers throughout the US. The records, which came from the US Geological Survey, ranged in length from 24 to 100 years, and all continued to at least the year 2000. About half of the waterways analysed showed a significant warming trend. The most rapid warming was measured in the Delaware River, at almost 0.08 °C per year. In general, the largest temperature rises were observed in waterways near urban centres, suggesting that some of the warming could be the result of heat emanating from the cities. Recent changes in land cover could also be a factor at some sites, say the researchers. Concurrent warming in pristine waterways suggests, however, that global climate change is also responsible for the trend.
The team warns that warming can affect the biological and chemical composition of waterways and that, unchecked, it could lead to local species extinctions and the proliferation of invasive organisms.
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Newton, A. Warming waterways. Nature Clim Change 1, 48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/climate.2010.40
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/climate.2010.40
