Effects on Lakes and Aquatic Systems
One of the direct effects of acid rain is on lakes and its aquatic ecosystems. There are several routes through which acidic chemicals can enter the lakes. Some chemical substances exist as dry particles in the air while others enter the lakes as wet particles such as rain, snow, sleet, hail, dew or fog. In addition, lakes can almost be thought of as the "sinks" of the earth, where rain that falls on land is drained through the sewage systems eventually make their way into the lakes. Acid rain that falls onto the earth washes off the nutrients out of the soil and carries toxic metals that have been released from the soil into the lakes.
Springtime is an especially vulnerable time for many aquatic species since this is the time for reproduction for amphibians, fish and insects. Many of these species lay their eggs in the water to hatch. The sudden pH change is dangerous because the acids can cause serious deformities in their young or even annihilate the who~e species since ltie young of many of such species spend a significant part of their life cycle in the water.
Sulphuric acid in water can affect the fish in the lakes in two ways: directly and indirectly.
1. Sulphuric acid (H2S04) directly interferes with the fish’s ability to take in oxygen, salt and nutrients needed to stay alive.
2. Indirectly, Sulphuric acid releases heavy metals for example, aluminium (Al+2). Al+2 bums the gills of the fish and accumulates in their organs, causing much damage. Crustaceans died out because of problems in reproduction due to the acidity of the lake caused by acid precipitation. Larger fish die out with the same problem in reproduction.