Lakes around the world face a number of potentially chronic health problems

Like humans, lakes are living systems and can suffer from many health problems, including circulatory and respiratory problems, infections, nutritional imbalances, and heat-related illnesses. If untreated, these conditions can become chronic and negatively impact the lake ecosystem and the people who depend on it. For example, more than 12% of the world's population lives within 3 kilometers from the lake.

In a new study published in the future of the earth, researchers propose using human health terminology and approaches to assess and treat problems in the world's lake systems. For example, a lake with multiple health problems can be characterized as “multimorbid,” and regular testing, similar to human health exams, can help detect problems in the lake early. There is sex. Researchers report that these anthropomorphic resemblances may help people better connect with and protect nature.

While some high-income countries have methods to assess the health of their lakes, the researchers introduced a global classification system modeled after the World Health Organization's human health classification system.

Using LakeATLAS data on approximately 1.5 million lakes around the world, they used data from LakeATLAS to assess the effects of various lakes on their circulatory (e.g., flooding and drying), metabolic (e.g., acidification and salinization), trophic, and respiratory systems. diseases and other types of disorders. Researchers classified the lake's health from excellent to critical. About 115,000 lakes are evaporating twice as much water as they receive, putting more than 153 million people living near these lakes at risk.

Some of the lake's health symptoms, such as algae blooms, fish kills, and airborne pollution, are easily visible through processes such as satellite observations. However, other concerns can only be revealed through diagnostic testing, which, like human diagnostic testing, can be expensive.

The researchers recommended additional screening, including testing water samples and installing inexpensive sensors, to get a complete picture of health. They also noted that many lake health problems are widely recognized but remain untreated, especially in low-income countries.

They emphasized the urgent need to begin coordinated multidisciplinary treatment of unhealthy lakes to prevent the condition from becoming chronic or severe. In particular, sewage treatment, climate change mitigation, and prevention of damage caused by humans and invasive species should be prioritized.