Looking at this braided orange river bordered by lush green, you could mistake the scene for just another snapshot of a stunning river valley. But a closer inspection reveals that all is not as it seems.
Photographer Taylor Roades travelled to the remote western Brooks Range in north-west Alaska last year to draw attention to how global warming is turning these waters not just rust-coloured, but into rust itself. The colour is down to oxidised iron, which, along with sulphuric acid, is formed as sediments once trapped in the frozen permafrost are released as the ice melts. The chemicals enter nearby tributaries, creating a concoction that is toxic for ecosystems and wildlife.
This photo and the one below show how “the most remote places and ecosystems are being detrimentally affected” by human activity, says Roades. The region, which is hundreds of kilometres from any settlement, has warmed by 2.4°C on average since 2006.
Roades’s shots, titled Rust River, have won the New Scientist Editors Award – one of nine categories in this year’s Earth Photo contest, which showcases photos and videos that tell compelling stories about our planet. The winning entries will be on show at the Royal Geographical Society in London until 21 August.
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