Little is known about thermal pollution. Defined as a rapid increase or decrease in the temperature of a water body, thermal pollution poses serious consequences. Thermal pollution results when a plant or facility takes its natural water and discharges it at a higher or lower temperature. The effects of thermal pollution are vast, but here are some of the most common effects.
Decreased Amount of Dissolved Oxygen
High water temperatures tend to reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen. This poses a real threat to aquatic plant and animal species that need oxygen for their metabolism processes. As a result, this m
ight lead to anaerobic environments that allow algae to flourish on the surface.
Ecological Impacts
An unexpected temperature increase in a water body can result in the mass killing of fish, amphibians, insects, and plants. Temperature disruptions might also be favorable to certain species and bad to others. These disruptions often come with far-reaching consequences in the biodiversity of the ecosystem.
Other effects of thermal pollution include loss of biodiversity, migrations, disrupted reproductive patterns, and an increase in toxicity levels. In light of this, if we are serious about protecting marine environments, then we must deal with thermal pollution.