Possible consequences of eutrophication
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Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Ecological impacts
- 2.1 Increased biomass of phytoplankton resulting in algal blooms
- 2.2 Toxic or inedible phytoplankton species (harmful algal blooms)
- 2.3 Increased in blooms of gelatinous zooplankton
- 2.4 Increased biomass of macroalgae
- 2.5 Decreases in water transparency (increased turbidity)
- 2.6 Dissolved oxygen depletion or hypoxia resulting in increased incidences of fish kills and / or dead benthic animals
- 2.7 Species biodiversity decreases and the dominant biota changes
- 3 Human health impacts
- 4 Socio-economic impacts
- 5 References
Introduction
Enhanced plant production and improved fish yields are sometimes described as positive impacts of eutrophication, especially in countries where fish and other aquatic organisms are a significant source of food. However detrimental ecological impacts can in turn have other negative consequences and impacts which are described below. Essentially the entire aquatic ecosystem changes with eutrophication.
Ecological impacts
Increased biomass of phytoplankton resulting in algal blooms
Toxic or inedible phytoplankton species (harmful algal blooms)
Increased in blooms of gelatinous zooplankton
Increased biomass of macroalgae
Decreases in water transparency (increased turbidity)
Dissolved oxygen depletion or hypoxia resulting in increased incidences of fish kills and / or dead benthic animals
Species biodiversity decreases and the dominant biota changes
Human health impacts
Socio-economic impacts
Nearly all of the above described impacts have a direct or indirect socio-economic impact.
References
- Eutrophication and health. European Commission (2002). Office for Official Publications of the European Communities: Luxembourg. ISBN 92-894-4413-4.28 pp.
- The National Eutrophication monitoring Programme Implementation Manual (Murray et al., 2002).
