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Why can acid rain damage fish gills?
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Acid rain
Forest dieback caused by acid rain in the Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic.
Acid rain damages fish gills primarily through the mobilization of aluminum. When acid deposition increases the acidity of aquatic environments, it causes aluminum that is naturally bound to soils to dissolve and leach into streams and lakes.12
In this dissolved form, aluminum becomes toxic to aquatic life. When it enters the water, it can directly damage the gills of fish, which impairs their ability to perform respiration. This toxic effect, combined with the overall increase in water acidity, is a major factor in the decline of fish populations in acidified ecosystems.12