Eutrophication

What is Eutrophication and it's cause, what impacts on environment as well as on human and how to control it. All details shown in this ppt plus one case study.

1. EUTROPHICATION Presented by: ALMAS TAMAKE SIES,IIEM

2. What is Eutrophication ? A process whereby water bodies receive excessive amounts of nutrients, which results in excessive plant growth (aka algal bloom ) Mainly arises from the oversupply of phosphate and nitrate nutrients . Anthropogenic Eutrophication – the pollution that humans cause with the release of sewage effluent and fertilizers into natural waters . Anthropogenic eutrophication has caused a great loss of Biodiversity. Mostly seen in marine habitats.

3. What are Algal Booms? Algal/marine/water bloom=“rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system ” –green, yellowish-brown or red. Fertilizers (used in farming) run-off into water – cause increase in nutrient level ; As a result phytoplankton grow and reproduce more rapidly, resulting in algal blooms.

4. Healthy system vs. Eutrophic system

5. Causes of Eutrophication The enrichment of water by nutrients can be of natural origin but it is often dramatically increased by human activities. This occurs almost everywhere in the world. main sources of nutrient input are: Runoff Erosion and Leaching from fertilized agricultural areas Sewage from cities and industrial wastewater Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (from animal breeding and combustion gases) Other point and non-point sources of pollutants

6. Factors Supporting the Development of Eutrophication Time of renewal of water. Geological features such as the shape of the bottom of the water bodies. Thermal stratification of stagnant water bodies (such as lakes and reservoirs) Temperature and light influence the development of aquatic algae.

7. Potential negative impacts of eutrophication

8. Ecological impacts Macrophyte invasions impede or prevent the growth of other aquatic plants. Only the more tolerant animal species can survive due to algal bloom. Turbidity of water increases. Release of cyanotoxins by cyanobacteria are recognized to have caused the deaths of wild animals , farm livestock, pets, fish and birds in many countries. Decreased oxygen levels can have a number of secondary water quality impacts.

9. Impact on people Economic – Tourism income decreases – Fishing is abolished Health – Damaged sea-food may cause illnesses – Dangerous for humans due to toxic substances – May cause neurological disorders.

10. Impact on ecosystems Decrease of species diversity Emigration of aquatic species Toxic chemicals are produced [ Cloern ] Combustion of fuels => N oxides Fertilizers => NH3

11. Prevention 1. Effectiveness Sources of nutrients must be identified and evaluated, and then cost-effective methods of controls must be implemented . 2. Minimizing nonpoint pollution The following steps are recommended to minimize the amount of pollution that can enter aquatic ecosystems from ambiguous sources; i . Riparian buffer zones Riparian buffer zones can be created near waterways in an attempt to filter pollutants ; sediments and

12. ……. nutrients are deposited here instead of in water. ii. Prevention policy Laws regulating the discharge and treatment of sewage can led to dramatic nutrient reductions to surrounding ecosystems. iii. Nitrogen testing and modeling Soil Nitrogen Testing (N-Testing) is a technique that helps farmers optimize the amount of fertilizer applied to crops. By testing the soil and modeling the bare minimum amount of fertilizer needed , farmers reap economic benefits while the environment remains clean.

13. Control Within-lake actions Reduce mineralization – Remove organic P before it is mineralized; a. Dredging b. Macrophyte harvesting Reduce transport of inorg . P to epilimnion – Hypolimnetic water withdrawal

14. Reduce P release from sediments – Hypolimnetic aeration Lake Aeration P release from sediments is greatly enhanced by anoxic conditions under which iron oxides dissolve and release all P sorbed to their surfaces.

15. Case study: Baltic Sea Location: Baltic Sea; Surrounding countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania , Poland, Russia, and Sweden .

16. In the Baltic Sea, all the areas are affected by eutrophication Number of phytoplankton increases (especially cyanobacteria ) This bacterium has increased, because of the increase in nutrient concentrations and due to the changes in the seasonal availability and large nutrient proportions Cyanobacteria bloom ( Nodularia spumigena ) in the western Baltic . Source of eutrophication in this area – increase in phytoplankton , consisting of many harmful bacteria causing damage to the environment

17. Impacts Includes… Reductions in biodiversity R eductions in the natural resources of dermersal fish and shellfish Reduced income from maricultures of fish and shellfish Reduced recreational value and income from tourism I ncreased risk of poisoning of animals including humans byalgal toxins

18. Solutions The Baltic Sea states and the North Sea states - decided to aim at a 50 % reduction of the N and P load from land compared to the level in the middle of the 1980s. It is expected that the directives and especially the recently decided water framework Directive (the urban wastewater treatment directive, 2000/60/EC ) will reduce the nutrient loads to the European coastal areas and the eutrophication impacts to an acceptable level.

19. C0nclusion

20. References “Water Pollution Guide”. Water-Pollution.org. 2003-2008. June 6, 2010 http :// www.water-pollution.org.uk/eutrophication.html “ Eutrophication and Health”. Ec.europa.eu. 2002. June 6, 2010 http :// ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-nitrates/pdf/eutrophication.pdf “ Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea”. Environment.fi. 11/12/2009. June 6, 2010 http://www.environment.fi/default.asp?contentid=170275&lan=en " Eutrophicatio and Health." European Commission. N.p ., n.d . Web. 6 June 2010 . http :// ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-nitrates/pdf/eutrophication.pdf " Eutrophication ." USGS. N.p ., n.d . Web. 5 June 2010. http :// toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.html " Eutrophication in Europe’s coastal waters." ASSETS. N.p ., n.d . Web. 6 June 2010 . http :// www.eutro.org/documents/EEA%20Topic_Report_7_2001.pdf " General effects of eutrophication ." Water Treatment and Purification - Lenntech . N.p ., n.d. Web . 6 June 2010. http :// www.lenntech.com/eutrophication-waterbodies/eutrophication-effects.htm "Problem: Eutrophication ." Wingolog . N.p ., n.d . Web. 6 June 2010 . http :// wingolog.org/writings/water/html/node27.html "Why Is Eutrophication Such a Serious Pollution Problem?" IETC. N.p ., n.d . Web. 5 June 2010 . http ://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/ short_series /lakereservoirs-3/1.asp

21. Thank You