Eutrophication

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to spare. This is the reality – especially when regarding the amount of freshwater available. Fact: The earth contains only 3.5% freshwater. Fact: 98.8% of all freshwater is shielded from our grasp in glaciers or groundwater. Fact: Only 0.0003% of the Earth’s water is accessible for consumption. With such a minute quantity of freshwater available, the high amount of pollution contaminating this water is appalling. Water quality levels are decreasing, hurting

Eutrophication is defined as the natural ageing process of natural body of water, generally understood to refer to enrichment of water systems by nutrients, notably phosphorus and nitrogen, and to the improved production of algal and higher plant biomass that the added nutrient loads stimulate (Reynolds, 1992). Customarily, the eutrophication is a natural phenomenon, but during the past decades, the word ‘eutrophication’ has been frequently used to signify the

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that if this trend of eutrophication continues, what is known to be a “dead zone” will be created. According to the NOAA, the northern Gulf of Mexico is the second largest dead zone in the United States. The Gulf of Mexico is officially recognized as a hypoxic, or dead zone, because

farmlands increases the nutrient levels in streams leading to eutrophication, which decreases macrophytes and animal diversity (Huang). Some studies even concluded that the fertilizer used wasn’t needed in such high amounts as it was “high enough to result in soluble and total P concentrations in surface runoff from both unfertilized and fertilized watersheds that were consistently greater than critical levels associated with accelerated eutrophication” (Sharpley et al,). Problem Statement: The increasing

becoming a large problem in waterways throughout the world both in freshwater and marine systems. Because this issue is rapidly increasing, the sustainability of these aquatic systems should be addressed more prominently to prevent the process of eutrophication that occurs consequently of nutrient loading. What exactly is nutrient loading? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Nutrient pollution is the process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus

We found that the limiting nutrient in Loughberry Lake is phosphorous. The most natural way that phosphorous enters aquatic systems, is through the cycling and erosion of phosphorous rich rocks and sediments. The phosphorous cycle takes a long time to complete, but through human processes such as mining and runoff, phosphorous is able to enter our water sources much more quickly. There is also a small amount of deposition that may occur from the atmosphere to the water. The most common human source

telling what a good level is and what a bad level is. If an excess amount of nutrients was found in the water, algae could be formed. When algae is formed it blocks sunlight from shining into the water, which creates dead zones. This is called eutrophication. A dead zone is an area where there is no life. This can cause major problems like population issues and more. If the algae continues to grow in the river, the whole body of water can die out, and people as well as other organisms are very dependent

greatly increases and as a result of this, the fish population is also increasing. This increase will continue as more and more phosphorus gets into the water. Excessive amounts of phosphorus in the water have been shown to be “the main cause of eutrophication over the past 30 years. This aging process can result in large fluctuations in the lake water quality and trophic status and in some cases periodic blooms of cyanobacteria” (Water Research Center). As phosphorus becomes excessive in the water

The majority of the world freshwater is shallow and confined to lowland areas (Beklioglu et al., 2011). These shallow polymictic lakes usually with a depth of less than three meters are an important natural resource and facilitate numerous services, as result having a crucial economical and conservation value (Beklioglu et al., 2011). High quality of these lakes has become a political obligation with initiatives such as the European commission’s water frame work directive implemented both locally

water pollution in the United States, the largest of which is agriculture. Contributing factors are the use of fertilizer, tile drainage, and the need to feed a growing global population. Polluted water is the root of many environmental problems. Eutrophication, hypoxia, and algae blooms are caused by an excess of