October 27, 2022
Eutrophication is an increasingly prominent phenomenon of the modern climate crisis that threatens the health of marine ecosystems by depriving organisms of dissolved oxygen.
What is Eutrophication?
Eutrophication is defined as a natural process in which algae or other aquatic plants feed on nutrients that accumulate in water. These nutrients, including nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, and more, stimulate algae growth and can lead to harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Not only can these blooms damage ecosystems with the toxins they carry, but they can also create “dead zones,” areas with very low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, that are inhospitable for most marine animals. As the blankets of algae decay, the decomposition by bacteria consumes significant amounts of oxygen from the water.
As a result, animals may die due to asphyxiation, causing widespread “fish kills”; in turn, their bodies are also decomposed by bacteria and more oxygen is sucked from the surroundings, further exacerbating the problem.
What Causes Eutrophication?
Human activity increases the rate at which nutrients enter the water, creating an excess and transforming a natural occurrence into an extensive problem. The primary cause is runoff from sewage and fertilizers. This issue greatly emphasizes the need for better handling of wastewater and composting as an alternative to nitrate and phosphate fertilizers.
https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/nutrients-and-eutrophication#overview
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-and-solutions-to-eutrophication.php