accelerated eutrophication definition and it's consequences
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The runoff of nitrate and phosphate into lakes and streams fertilizes them, and causes accelerated eutrophication (eu = true or well; trophy = food) or enrichment of the waters.
Eutrophication is a natural process that typically occurs as lakes age. However, human-caused, accelerated eutrophication (called "cultural eutrophication") occurs more rapidly, and causes problems in the affected water bodies.
Consequences :
1) Penetration of light into the water is diminished. This occurs because the algae forms mats as a result of being produced faster than they are consumed. Diminished light penetration decreases the productivity of plants living in the deeper waters (and hence their production of oxygen).
(2) The water becomes depleted in oxygen. When the abundant algae die and decompose, much oxygen is consumed by those decomposers. Oxygen in the water is also lowered by the lack of primary production in the darkened, deeper waters.
(3) Lowered oxygen results in the death of fish that need high levels of dissolved oxygen
Eutrophication is a natural process that typically occurs as lakes age. However, human-caused, accelerated eutrophication (called "cultural eutrophication") occurs more rapidly, and causes problems in the affected water bodies.
Consequences :
1) Penetration of light into the water is diminished. This occurs because the algae forms mats as a result of being produced faster than they are consumed. Diminished light penetration decreases the productivity of plants living in the deeper waters (and hence their production of oxygen).
(2) The water becomes depleted in oxygen. When the abundant algae die and decompose, much oxygen is consumed by those decomposers. Oxygen in the water is also lowered by the lack of primary production in the darkened, deeper waters.
(3) Lowered oxygen results in the death of fish that need high levels of dissolved oxygen
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Cultural eutrophication is the process that speeds up natural eutrophication because of human activity.[1] Due to clearing of land and building of towns and cities, land runoff is accelerated and more nutrients such as phosphates and nitrate are supplied to lakes and rivers, and then to coastal estuaries and bays. Extra nutrients are also supplied by treatment plants, golf courses, and agricultural practices through the use of fertilizers. Human activities, including the ones previously listed, can be responsible for an increase in nutrients, therefore, cultural eutrophication is more pronounced in non-polar ecosystems which have higher levels of human activity.[2] Polar regions have less human activity and subsequently less cultural eutrophication.
One response to added amounts of nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem is the rapid growth of microscopic algae, also known as an algal bloom. In freshwater systems, the formation of floating algal blooms are commonly nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). This outcome is favoured when nitrogen inputs are reduced and phosphorus inputs are increased.[3] Large amounts of algae reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen available in the water for other organisms, which increases fish mortality rates. These areas affected by algal blooms are known as dead zones, and are found where rivers empty into oceans.[4] Nutrient pollution is a major cause of algal blooming however, the excess nutrients also facilitate the growth of other aquatic plants. Following this, overcrowding occurs and plants compete for sunlight, space, and oxygen. Overgrowth of water plants also blocks sunlight and oxygen for aquatic life in the water, which threatens their survival. Increased competition for the added nutrients can cause potential disruption to entire ecosystems and food webs, as well as a loss of habitat, and biodiversity of species.[5]
The Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), Ontario, Canada is a fully equipped, year-round, permanent field station that uses the whole ecosystem approach and long-term, whole-lake investigations of freshwater focusing on cultural eutrophication. ELA is currently cosponsored by the Canadian Departments of Environment and Fisheries and Oceans, with a mandate to investigate the aquatic effects of a wide variety of stresses on lakes and their catchments.[6][7]
Cultural eutrophication is the process that speeds up natural eutrophication because of human activity.[1] Due to clearing of land and building of towns and cities, land runoff is accelerated and more nutrients such as phosphates and nitrate are supplied to lakes and rivers, and then to coastal estuaries and bays. Extra nutrients are also supplied by treatment plants, golf courses, and agricultural practices through the use of fertilizers. Human activities, including the ones previously listed, can be responsible for an increase in nutrients, therefore, cultural eutrophication is more pronounced in non-polar ecosystems which have higher levels of human activity.[2] Polar regions have less human activity and subsequently less cultural eutrophication.
One response to added amounts of nutrients in the aquatic ecosystem is the rapid growth of microscopic algae, also known as an algal bloom. In freshwater systems, the formation of floating algal blooms are commonly nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). This outcome is favoured when nitrogen inputs are reduced and phosphorus inputs are increased.[3] Large amounts of algae reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen available in the water for other organisms, which increases fish mortality rates. These areas affected by algal blooms are known as dead zones, and are found where rivers empty into oceans.[4] Nutrient pollution is a major cause of algal blooming however, the excess nutrients also facilitate the growth of other aquatic plants. Following this, overcrowding occurs and plants compete for sunlight, space, and oxygen. Overgrowth of water plants also blocks sunlight and oxygen for aquatic life in the water, which threatens their survival. Increased competition for the added nutrients can cause potential disruption to entire ecosystems and food webs, as well as a loss of habitat, and biodiversity of species.[5]
The Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), Ontario, Canada is a fully equipped, year-round, permanent field station that uses the whole ecosystem approach and long-term, whole-lake investigations of freshwater focusing on cultural eutrophication. ELA is currently cosponsored by the Canadian Departments of Environment and Fisheries and Oceans, with a mandate to investigate the aquatic effects of a wide variety of stresses on lakes and their catchments.[6][7]
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