TRAVERSE CITY, MI (AP)— Scientists say the atmospheric carbon overload responsible for global warming might also be making large lakes more acidic.
It's happening in oceans, which are taking in some of the carbon dioxide that human activity pumps skyward. That imperils coral reefs and other marine life.
U.S. scientists have placed sensors on a buoy in Lake Huron to follow water chemistry trends. They hope eventually to do likewise in the other Great Lakes.
Studies predict the Great Lakes and other large freshwater bodies around the world will become more acidic, which could disrupt food chains and habitat, but they need data over multiple years to be sure.
