While the river was definitely affected in the short-term by the explosions, the long-term consequences of the spill are unknown. While there were many immediate effects to the ecosystem when the explosions initially took place, the river has returned to its previous state. There are no long-term effects of the pollution from 2005 due to the high amount of carbon in the river's sediment, and the region's groundwater has not been effected. The river today is as healthy as it was before the explosions. However, the transboundary incident caused by the Jilin explosions gained this incident international attention, and the flaws of China's environmental regulations have been exposed. The attention cast towards this flaw has influenced China to better protect the environment and the ecosystems that they encompass.
IMPORTANT BIOTIC FACTORS
- fish
- plants
- land animals (dhole, salamander)
- birds (red-crowned crane)
- insects (earthworm, millipede)
IMPORTANT ABIOTIC FACTORS
- climate
- amount of sunlight
- temperature
- windspeed
- pH
- salinity
- purity of river
