University of Maine. (2022, March 2). Study of algae in Acadia National Park lakes shows recovery from acidification. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220302190006.htm

 

Using research from the 1990s, we can now see how C02 emissions have affected the acidification of many freshwater lakes across the United States. These rises in water acidity have led to lower PH levels in the water. This results in damaging many ecosystems in or around it and many depend on water to survive and thrive. However, after the passing of the Clean Air Act Amendments, put forth in the 1990s, researchers from the University of Maine have seen less atmospheric acidic depositions. This resulted in the PH levels to rise, helping to restore and continue to run many ecosystems. Continuing their research, scientists took sediment samples from a couple lakes/ponds to see the effects over time. In the sediment they can see how the algae responded differently over time to the water, and how much the lakes have recovered. If we continue in this direction, scientists believe that we might possibly be able to restore our planet to its former glory. 

 

I find this shows how acidic water has a smaller effect compared to the acidification of the oceans and how because of this we are able to not only study it but also find solutions. It shows how much of an impact it has on ecosystems not just in the water, but on many of the ecosystems surrounding it. I find this article hopeful because it shows that there are solutions to the acidification of our water and mainly climate change as a whole. However, it is a false sense of hope because of how long it took to change small and unaffected bodies of water compared to that of our main issues being the oceans. This being so, I still like seeing how even though they are small steps, we are making progress to cause climate change to slow down.