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How does dissolved aluminum harm fish in acidified lakes?
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Acid rain
Forest dieback caused by acid rain in the Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic.
In acidified lakes, acid deposition causes aluminum that is naturally bound to soils to be released into the water in a dissolved, toxic form. When this dissolved aluminum enters aquatic environments, it poses a severe threat to fish populations by damaging their gills. This damage impairs the fish's ability to perform respiration, effectively hindering their capacity to breathe and survive in the acidified water.1