Eutrophication

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Eutrophication is enrichment by plant nutrients. Here man-made eutrophication is considered. The chief sources of enrichment are sewage, artificial fertilizers and agricultural wastes. Large populations of plants and animals, alive or dead, cause difficulties in the water industry and may interfere with recreation, especially fishing. Most of the phosphorus and nitrogen can be removed from sewage effluent if the cost is justified. A large reduction of agricultural run-off is impractical but some reduction is possible. The removal of polyphosphates from detergents is a palliative but a suitable replacement which does not pose a threat to the environment is not yet on the market. Though the main factors causing eutrophication are well known, there is little detailed understanding of their interaction with other environmental factors. Consequently it is not yet possible to forecast the exact changes to be expected in aquatic ecosystems, a fact which is illustrated by certain changes in two mildly enriched lakes over the last 27 years.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: