Eutrophication

What is it and how can it be solved?:

Eutrophication

Vidisha Anand

What is Eutrophication?

Nutrient Pollution is a growing problem in many bodies of water as human activities increase nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water. Since these nutrients are crtical for algae growth, the overproduction of these nutrients can cause immense algae blooms, more than the environment can handlel. This leads to reduction and elimination of oxygen in the body of water and increases the toxins and harmful bacteria present.

Major Impacts

As fish die off due to toxins and lack of oxygen, fishing industries immensly struggle to meet demands.

Harms fishing industries

Eutrophication leads to the production of harmful toxins into the water that cause illnesses in the fish. These spread throughout food chains harmng both aquatic food chains as well as human food sources.

Produce Toxins

Algae blooms cause by Eutrophication resulthy in Hypoxy zones (areas with dangerously low oxygen levels). This results in the deat of many aquatic organisms. Further the blooms prevent sunlight from reaching benthic plants in the bottom of the ocean.

Plants and fish die off

· Wastewater treatment methods

· Oyster Aquaculture to remove excess nutrients.

· Better disposal of wastes such as fertilizers.

Ways to prevent/ control this?

· Intoduction of organisms such as Bivale Molusks that clear out exccess nutrients.

Chislock, M. F. (2013). Eutrophication: Causes, consequences, and controls in aquatic ecosystems | learn science at scitable. The Nature Education. https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/eutrophication-causes-consequences-and-controls-in-aquatic-102364466/‌US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (n.d.). What is eutrophication? Oceanservice.noaa.gov. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/eutrophication.html#:~:text=Harmful%20algal%20blooms%2C%20dead%20zonesXiao. (2017, June 2). Water Eutrophication and its Effect • EnvGuide. EnvGuide. https://us.envguide.com/eutrop/‌‌

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