Final answer:
The decline of the Aral Sea due to the diversion of water for irrigation has led to habitat destruction and the decline of the fishing industry, impacting the local economy. The increasing salt content and the conduct of biological weapons experiments have further devastated the environment. The drying up of the sea has resulted in the disappearance of wetlands, changes in climate, and serious health-related problems in nearby human populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The decline of the Aral Sea can be attributed to several causes and has had significant effects on the environment and local communities. The diversion of water from the two rivers for irrigation purposes, primarily for growing crops, has led to a decrease in the volume of the sea. This has resulted in the destruction of habitats and the decline of the fishing industry, impacting the local economy. The increasing salt content in the remaining western portion of the sea has also contributed to the decrease in fish population. Additionally, the Soviets conducted biological weapons experiments on an island in the Aral Sea, further causing environmental devastation.
The changes to the Aral Sea have had multiple effects. The drying up of the sea has led to the disappearance of wetlands and associated ecosystems. The absence of moisture from the sea has resulted in a drier regional climate with greater temperature extremes. The loss of water from evaporation for precipitation has also affected the climate, causing it to become warmer in the summer and colder in the winter. Moreover, the buildup of chemicals and salt from the dry seabed has caused serious health-related problems in the nearby human population, with higher rates of cancer and respiratory illnesses.
Efforts to mitigate the deterioration of the Aral Sea have seen some success in the northern portion, known as the Little Aral Sea. A major dam has been constructed to increase water levels and reduce salt content, resulting in the revival of the fishing industry. However, the southern part of the Aral Sea remains nearly completely dry. The shrinking of the Aral Sea is considered one of the planet's biggest environmental disasters caused by unsustainable diversions of river water.