Toxic tides

A recent environmental disaster has led to over 100 tons of dead fish accumulating around the coast of Volos, Greece. The fish might have suffocated as the lake’s water levels fell rapidly. Investigations are underway to determine any additional causes, including potential pollution factors. This incident serves as a warning of the broader impacts of climate change on marine life. Higher water temperatures can disrupt metabolic processes in marine organisms, making it harder for them to survive and reproduce. For fish, rapid changes in water temperature can induce thermal shock, leading to mass mortality events, as seen in Greece. Warmer waters hold less dissolved oxygen, creating low-oxygen zones.

Fish and other marine life that depend on oxygen-rich waters find it difficult to survive in these areas. Dead zones, areas with very low oxygen, are increasing globally due to a combination of warming and nutrient pollution. The incident is a reminder of the consequences of global warming and the interconnected nature of Earth’s ecosystems. Rising sea levels, warming oceans, and oxygen-depleted waters threaten not only marine life but also the economies and communities that depend on healthy oceans.

Sajid Awan

Dubai

UAE