Rise in Groundwater Temperature Threatening the Global Aquatic Ecosystem

Groundwater resources play a significant role in the well-being of every living organism on this planet Earth. It is the lifeline of the environment and biodiversity. But due to climate change, Earth is heating and so is the groundwater temperature too. As oceans work as a heat sink, they absorb a substantial amount of heat generated in the atmosphere due to greenhouse gases. The warmer groundwater which is one of the essentials for aquatic life is threatening their existence.

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With the rise in groundwater temperature globally, there is an expected change in the chemical, physical, as well as microbial balance of groundwater resources. It can impact communities, businesses, local wildlife, and biodiversity at large. To decode its diverse implications, a recent study on rising groundwater temperature and its associated impacts has been conducted by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany.  

As per the study, by the end of this century, the groundwater temperature is expected to get warmer by 2 to 3.5 degrees Celsius. Such an increase in groundwater temperature will pose a severe threat to the aquatic ecosystem as their entire lifecycle depends on the water itself.

Globally, around 30 million people are living in areas that are already consuming exceeded hard levels of potable water, and this could increase between 60 to 600 million as per this recent study. It shows that warmer water contains reduced dissolved oxygen which is a threat to the aquatic animals in the longer run. It will change the composition of their habitat. The rise in temperature in the absence of a safe habitat will pose a life threat to these aquatic species.  

The increased temperature of the groundwater elevates the microbial growth that might carry the risk of various diseases and in turn impact water quality further. Thus, time-bound actions with round-the-clock monitoring should be taken to counter climate change and slow down the global warming process. Stringent measures should be implemented to limit the emission of GHG gases in the ecosystem to keep a check on the rising temperature. Globally, new methods and models related to groundwater management and safety should be devised on priority.