Þingvallavatn, a large lake in the South-West bordering popular tourist site Þingvellir, has been undergoing some changes of late. According to Hilmar Malmquist, a biologist and director of the Natural Science Laboratory of Kópavogur, climate change has resulted in increased nutrients in the water, RÚV reports.
“Algae is increasing along with nutrient concentration,” said Hilmar. “ Most people know the lake as having blue, clear, and cold water, but these changes affect the colour and clarity… The situation is far from being truly bad, but the trend is not good. It is not known how long it will take for the changes to be damaging. Such changes can come on very quickly.”
Hilmar notes that part of the problem is global warming and the area experiencing year-round warmer temperatures, but he also notes that the impact of man on the environment does play a role in the deteriorating water quality and clarity.
The state of Þingvallavatn will discussed in a meeting of the Iceland Nature Conservation Association today.
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