New study: America’s rivers are changing, confusing fish
America’s rivers are changing rapidly due to climate change, and fish are getting confused as a result, a new study has found. The study, published in the journal Science by scientists at the University of Leeds in the U.K., found that climate change is disrupting the seasonal flows of rivers around the world, which is posing a serious threat to water supply and ecosystems. Rivers and their reservoirs provide water for human use, whether for drinking or agricultural purposes, meaning that changes to their flows can greatly affect everyday life. … Climate change is also causing more extreme weather patterns. An example of this can be seen in California. The state was in the grips of a severe drought for years, until last year the prolonged dry period was broken by a deluge of intense storms. These storms caused severe flooding and landslides that greatly disrupted local communities.