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London's Thames, Once Biologically Dead, Has Been Coming Back To Life (npr.org) 53

An anonymous reader quotes a report from NPR: In 1858, sewage clogging London's Thames River caused a "Great Stink." A century later, parts of the famed waterway were declared biologically dead. But the latest report (PDF) on "The State of the Thames" is sounding a surprisingly optimistic note. The river today is "home to myriad wildlife as diverse as London itself," Andrew Terry, the director of conservation and policy at the Zoological Society of London, writes in a forward to the report published Wednesday. Terry points to "reductions in pressures and improvements in key species and habitats."

Among those species are two types of seals. Before the early 2000s, little was known about their whereabouts, but now "[both] the harbor seal and the grey seal can be seen in the Thames," the report notes, from the river's tidal limit west of London, through the center of the city and across its outer estuary. Another success story pointed to in the report is the avocet, a migratory wading bird which had become extinct as a breeding species in Britain by 1842 due to habitat loss. It began making a comeback after World War II, and over the last three decades has seen its population among the tidal Thames more than double, according to the report. The report highlights several promising trends. But it also cautions that work still needs to be done in other areas, and warns of the negative impact of climate change on the river, which is a major source of water for the city.
Despite the improvements, the report notes that just last year a research paper found high levels of microplastics in samples of the Thames water column taken in 2017. "Experiments have shown that such microplastics can have detrimental effects on aquatic life, as well as turtles and birds," reports NPR, citing National Geographic.
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London's Thames, Once Biologically Dead, Has Been Coming Back To Life

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  • by Rockoon ( 1252108 ) on Friday November 12, 2021 @11:05PM (#61983465)
    Life fills all ecosystems, and it doesnt take very long. They were surprised at how fast the land around mount saint helens sprung back too.
    • Well, I'm sure there was plenty of bacteria and algae thriving in the Thames 200 years ago when it was choked with poop.
    • Life fills all ecosystems, and it doesnt take very long.

      Indeed, even so-called "biologically dead" rivers are teeming with microbial life but I guess this is yet another example of the multi-cellular fascist hierarchy that has ruled the planet for the last 500 million years.

  • They seem to do pretty well cleaning almost anything in fresh water.

  • by Lost Penguin ( 636359 ) on Friday November 12, 2021 @11:32PM (#61983493)
    'Ere. He says he's not dead!
  • by Kelxin ( 3417093 ) on Friday November 12, 2021 @11:53PM (#61983519)
    "is home to myriad wildlife as diverse as London itself"... Since when has London been known for it's "myriad wildlife"???? There been a new invasion of crocodiles, lions, deer and bears in London no one's speaking of??? Last I was there it was squirrels and birds at most. Mainly I just found Brits pissing in dark corners after drinking too much.
  • by Happy Welsh Wizard ( 826432 ) on Saturday November 13, 2021 @03:21AM (#61983669)
    What the report actually says once you get past the cheery headline- The Thames, like every single one of Englandâ(TM)s rivers, remains utterly wrecked, polluted by agricultural runoff and sewage spilled from an overloaded Victorian sewage infrastructure.
    • The Thames, like every single one of England's rivers, remains utterly wrecked...

      That may be true in the south but there are lots of rivers in the Northern Dales that are absolutely fine. There is minimal agricultural run-off up in the Dales since it is predominantly sheep farming, there are no overloaded Victorian sewage systems and the water is clear.

      • Nope. Itâ(TM)s all of them. They all fail pollution standards. https://www.theguardian.com/en... [theguardian.com]
        • Nope. Itâ(TM)s all of them. They all fail pollution standards.

          That is not what the article says. For a start, it says that 14% were rated good and 14% is not zero. Then there is no indication of what the standards are: does one bad sample anywhere along the entire river lower the rating for all of it? No clue because the standards and methodology are not given.

          . What I can tell you is that if you go up the dales the rivers are clear and full of life. If those rivers count as polluted then there is something wrong with their standards.

          • From the article i quote: âAll English rivers have failed to meet quality tests for pollution amid concerns over the scale of sewage discharges and agricultural and industrial chemicals entering the water system.â(TM) Your reading comprehension has let you down. Those clean rivers you wax lyrical about are actually rather polluted when tested.
            • No, you just stopped thinking the moment you got the one sentence that agrees with your preconceived notion because the very next sentence says:

              Data published on Thursday reveals just 14% of English rivers are of good ecological standard...

              The article is not logically consistent: you cannot have 14% of rivers be good and no rivers meet standards. As for pollution, there is nothing but a few sheep up there to pollute them. Even if humans never evolved rivers would still contain some level of animal effluence. If their standards are counting this as unacceptable then I would strongly suggest the standa

    • What the report actually says once you get past the cheery headline- The Thames, like every single one of Englandâ(TM)s rivers, remains utterly wrecked, polluted by agricultural runoff and sewage spilled from an overloaded Victorian sewage infrastructure.

      No it doesn't. It says that a once biologically dead river is now no longer so. (Despite population growth etc.) That is actually good news. It is an achievement you could cherish.

      Then, not every single river in England is utterly wrecked and polluted etc.

      Get a grip on yourself, pay some attention to the positive sides.

  • Not a single mention of Stephenson's Shaftoe Brothers; Slashdot is now officially illiterate.
  • Applying the usual logic of the Internet, this proves that microplastics enhance biodiversity in rivers. :-)

  • The current government has just lifted environmental protection prohibiting the dumping raw sewage into our rivers.

    One of the many benefits of brexit /irony.

  • Go ahead, I dare you.
  • Another success story pointed to in the report is the avocet, a migratory wading bird which had become extinct as a breeding species in Britain by 1842 due to habitat loss. It began making a comeback after World War II, and over the last three decades has seen its population among the tidal Thames more than double, according to the report.

    Judge: So this says that the defendant killed you.
    Plaintiff: Yeah, but I got better.

    I think the word you're looking for here is "extirpated". Or "had died out in Britain", or perhaps "had become locally extinct in Britain", if you want to stretch the term to the breaking point. :-)

  • Try as we might to control nature, Nature is always in control.

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