Eutrophication

Definition
Eutrophication is the condition of a gradual increase in the concentration of phosphorus,
nitrogen, and other plant nutrients in a water body resulting in excessive plant and algal
growth.
 Eutrophication is one of the most widespread challenges faced by freshwater systems
and has a long history in terms of water management.
 It is a natural process that occurs in different water sources over centuries, but human
activities have accelerated the process by increasing the rate and extend of
eutrophication.
 The condition arises as to the productivity or fertility of aquatic ecosystems increases
due to the rise in the organic material that can be broken down into simpler usable
nutrients.
 The most prominent effect of eutrophication of water resources is the formation of
blooms of foul-smelling phytoplankton. These microorganisms reduce water clarity
and might degrade the water quality.
 The growth of such blooms disturbs light penetration and destroys the growth of
plants in coastal zones.
 Eutrophication threatens the ecological stability of the system as the nutrient
enhancement can interact with source-specific conditions like the presence of other
contaminants and infectious agents.
 Eutrophic water resources usually harbor fewer larger animals like fishes and birds
when compared to non-eutrophic waters.
 Destruction of water quality and loss of ecological diversity is among the most
harmful consequences of eutrophication. These have redirected the focus of various
studies on the control of eutrophication.
 The excess of nutrients in water sources usually results due to the runoff from land
that carries products from terrestrial ecosystems into the sources.
 For decades, eutrophication has been considered an irreversible process, but for the
last few years, eutrophication in several lakes has been reversed by managing both the
human nutrient emission and cutting off nutrient loads to the sources.
 The growth of algal blooms like other plants requires nutrients in certain ratios that
are different from the natural concentrations.
 Eutrophication is an urgent threat as more than 30% of the lakes and reservoirs in the
world have been affected by eutrophication.

Causes of Eutrophication
Natural eutrophication is a natural process that occurs through centuries as a part of the cycle
of the ecosystem. However, the process has been enhanced by human activities which cause
the process to occur at a much faster rate with immediate consequences. The primary cause of
eutrophication is the entry of a large amount of easily available nutrients to the water
resources, which increases the fertility and excessive growth of various plants and algae.
Some of the factors that enhance the process of eutrophication by increasing the nutrient
content of the water resources are;
1. Fertilizers
 The use of fertilizers containing phosphates and nitrates in order to increase the
productivity of crops is one of the primary causes of cultural eutrophication.
 The fertilizers used on the land near water resources eventually are ultimately
deposited into the water resources during rain and other natural processes.
 The runoffs from different areas eventually make their way into lakes, rivers, and
oceans, which increases the nutrient availability of the water resources.
 Since the fertilizers contain easily available nutrients, they are taken up by planktons,
algae, and aquatic plants of the aquatic ecosystem.
 The photosynthetic activity of the water resource increases, which further increases
the concentration of organic matter in the ecosystem.
 The increase in nutrient content causes the formation of a dense growth of algal
blooms and plant life, resulting in eutrophication.
2. Concentrated animal feeding operations
 Concentrated animal feeding operations are agricultural practices where a large
number of animals are confined to a certain area for a certain period of time in order
to increase the productivity and quality of the animals.
 Operations like these produce millions of tons of manure each year, all of which
eventually find their way into water resources.
 The manure primarily contains nitrogen and phosphorus, both of which are essential
elements of algal blooms.
 Nitrogen and phosphorus occur as limiting factors in algal blooms as these are present
in the least proportion in the molecular formula of algae (C106H262O110N16P).
 Thus, in many ecosystems, the biomass of phytoplankton is limited by the low
availability of phosphorus and nitrogen.
 However, the release of animal manure rich in nitrogen and phosphorus to such
ecosystems causes the increased production of phytoplankton, inducing
eutrophication.
3. Sewage and Industrial waste Discharge
 In many developing countries, household sewage, as well as industrial discharge, are
released into water resources like lakes, ponds, and rivers.
 The wastewater entering from different sources tend to have high amounts of
chemical nutrients which stimulate the dense growth of algal blooms in such
resources.
 The wastewater from households and communities has high concentrations of
nitrogen and phosphorus which have a direct effect on the health of the ecosystem.
 Industrial sewage, even when treated, contains small concentrations of many
chemicals. Over time, the continuous deposition of such chemicals leads to
increased nutrient availability in the water resource, eventually resulting in
eutrophication.
4. Environmental Factors
 Different environmental factors like temperature, salinity, and atmospheric conditions
play essential roles in eutrophication, but the exact mechanism of their influence is
not yet completely understood.
 Algal blooms usually occur between the temperature of 23°C and 28°C and salinity
level of 23% and 28%. The changes in these factors affect the rate of algal growth,
especially when the temperature increases and the salinity decreases.
  The concentration of carbon dioxide also affects the growth of cyanobacteria as these
microbes can utilize low levels of carbon dioxide and becomes buoyant to keep
themselves on the surface of the water and obtain sunlight.
 The free carbon dioxide concentrations in water also affect the pH of the water
resource, further influencing the growth of different microbes.
 Similarly, the growth is also favored by increasing light intensity with 4000 lux being
the most favorable intensity.

Eutrophication Types
Eutrophication can be divided into two types based on the root cause of the process;
1. Natural Eutrophication
 Natural eutrophication is a process that occurs as a result of a gradual buildup of
nutrients and organic matter in water resources over a very long period of time.
 Natural eutrophication can take up to 100 years as the natural deposition and increase
in organic matter deposits requires a long time.
 The process of natural eutrophication is enhanced by natural conditions like floods
and landslides, where the organic matter from the land is washed off into water
resources.
 Besides, environmental factors like temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and
light also play essential roles in natural eutrophication.
 The process of natural eutrophication begins in an oligotrophic water resource where
the productivity increases as the nutrients accumulate to reach a stable state of
eutrophy.
 As the process of nutrient accumulation and utilization continues, the state might shift
towards eutrophication, but it takes hundreds of years. The time period depends on
the nature of the water resource, the land areas around the resource, and the climate.
2. Cultural (anthropogenic) Eutrophication
 Cultural eutrophication of anthropogenic eutrophication is the process of
accumulation of excess nutrients in water ecosystems as a result of human activities.
 Cultural eutrophication is the process that speeds up natural eutrophication, resulting
in severe conditions within a short period of time.
 The primary cause of cultural eutrophication is the series of human activities that
primarily increase the concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen in the ecosystem.
 This type of eutrophication occurs within a shorter period of time and usually has
significant consequences to the health of all living beings.
 Many human activities like overfertilization, industrial and agricultural expansion and
the release of sewage into water resources are among the prime causes of the
process.
 Cultural eutrophication can occur in both fresh water and saltwater bodies, among
which shallow waters are the most susceptible.
 Shallow lakes and ponds experience wind waves which cause the suspension of huge
nutrients to the overlying water.
 Eutrophication restricts the use of such water resources for various purposes like
drinking, aquatic life, and industrial use as a result of the increased growth of
undesirable algae.
Effects/Problems of Eutrophication
Eutrophication is considered a water pollution problem that affects about 30-40% of all the
water bodies in the world. In addition to water pollution, there are several other effects of
eutrophication on the ecosystem as well as the lives of various living beings. The following
are some of the effects of eutrophication;
1. Increased biomass of phytoplanktons
 Increased biomass of phytoplankton, especially in the form of algal blooms is one of
the most prominent effects of eutrophication.
 The algal blooms might even develop toxic strains of cyanobacteria which harm both
aquatic organisms as well as humans.
 The blooms also result in the reduction of water clarity and a decrease in water
quality. Some of the phytoplanktons might even form foul-smelling algal blooms
which further affect the ecosystem.
2. Oxygen depletion
 The formation of algal blooms on water surfaces reduces the availability of sunlight to
living beings present in the water source.
 The lack of sunlight causes a decrease in photosynthesis and the eventual death of
plant species present in the water.
 The dead plants are then decomposed by various bacteria that utilize the remaining
oxygen in the water.
 All of this results in oxygen depletion in the water source, which brings other sets of
problems. Lack of oxygen results in an anoxic process that produces various toxic
and foul-smelling gases.
 The oxygen depletion causes the death of various aquatic plants as well as animals.
3. Decrease in biodiversity
 The biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems decreases as a result of eutrophication. As the
population of algae increases as a result of increased nutrients, the population of
other living beings like plants and animals decreases.
 The algal blooms limit the availability of sunlight to bottom-dwelling organisms and
result in a decrease in variation of a population.
4. Toxicity
 Various algal blooms are known as harmful algal blooms which produce a toxic
compound that can make its way up the food chain to different trophic levels.
 Blooms in freshwater can be harmful to livestock when eaten by various animals.
Toxic compounds then pass on from the animals to humans, causing a threat to
human lives.
 One of the common examples of algal toxins affecting the human body is shellfish
poisoning, where the toxins produced by algae are taken up by shellfish and are
transmitted to humans that feed on such shellfishes.
5. Water pollution
 The formation of algal blooms decreases the clarity of the water, resulting in
extensive water pollution.
 It makes the water unsafe from drinking or any other recreational activities, ultimately
decreasing the aesthetic value of the water body.