Eutrophication
Published on Nov 18, 2015
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Eutrophication
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What is Eutrophication?
Ever heard the phrase, 'too much of a good thing?' Eutrophication is a good example of this. When aquatic systems have an overabundance of nutrients, the entire system suffers, and can ultimately become unlivable.
What is Eutrophication?
Ever heard the phrase, 'too much of a good thing?' Eutrophication is a good example of this. When aquatic systems have an overabundance of nutrients, the entire system suffers, and can ultimately become unlivable..
Ever heard the phrase, 'too much of a good thing?' Eutrophication is a good example of this. When aquatic systems have an overabundance of nutrients, the entire system suffers, and can ultimately become unlivable..
Photo by Gamma Man
Definition
All living things need specific nutrients to survive. Usually, nature does a pretty good job of providing just the right amount of nutrients, because too many or two few can cause problems.
This is especially true in aquatic ecosystems because they are so dynamic. When too few nutrients are present, the water is oligotrophic. It makes sense that when there is not enough nutrition available for the variety of organisms living in an aquatic environment, serious problems will arise.
However, problems can also arise when the aquatic system has an overabundance of nutrients. When this happens we get eutrophication. A eutrophic stream, river, or lake occurs too many nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous are present, usually as a result of runoff from the surrounding land. Algae, plankton, and other microorganisms love these types of nutrients, and when they are plentiful these aquatic organisms can take over.
When a lake, river, or other aquatic system becomes eutrophic, it can have serious negative effects on other organisms like fish, birds, and even people. But first, let's look at what causes eutrophication.
Photo by nan palmero
Causes
Eutrophication is most often the result of human activity. Farms, golf courses, lawns, and other fields tend to be heavily fertilized by people. These fertilizers are the perfect types of nutrients to feed hungry algae and plankton, and when it rains these fertilizers run off into lakes, streams, rivers, and oceans. Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are also a major source of polluting nutrients.
Eutrophication can also come from natural events. If a stream, river, or lake floods, it may wash any excess nutrients off the land and into the water. However, eutrophication is less likely to occur in areas that are not surrounded by fertilized lands.
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