In general, life declines in the dear old stream. Fast-water insects that rely on a water current decline, he notes, as do fish that find their oxygen source has stopped moving. And lakes and reservoirs, usually cooled and protected by surface evaporation, also suffer. In a drought, the intensity of the sun and lack of rain encourage surface algae and plankton to bloom, and that can foul things up, Neff observes. Alas the hardships of drought are not universal.
Most mosquitoes feed on smal particles, such as bacteria, so they ought to have a grand time.
This week a panel of the Environmental Protection Agency recommended a halt in the use of the gasoline additive MTBE, which has been widely credited with helping to reduce air pollution caused by internal combustion engines. MTBE is a suspected carcinogen that has begun to turn up in groundwater, which serves as a source for drinking water. She faults atmospheric and groundwater scientists for failing to adequately communicate to each other the benefits and dangers of the additive, and fears the full extent of the damage has yet to be discovered. It's probably going to get worse before it gets better. Children hoping to become the next golf sensation are getting hurt in the swing zone of a golf club and at home, according to Temple physical education professor Marcella Ridenour , a researcher in the University's Biokinetics Research Laboratory, who recently studied the hidden hazards of golf clubs.