Transcript What is Eutrophication??

What is
Eutrophication??
• Waterways are naturally
low in nutrients, this
limits the growth of water
plants.
• This is a process when a
body of water such as a
stream becomes over
enriched in nutrients.
• The nutrients are
mainly nitrates
and phosphates.
Causes of
Eutrophication!!
• Eutrophication is when fertilisers used by
farmers leak into water courses, these
fertilisers could be nitrogen based or
things like slurry.
• The fertilisers get into the water course
due to runoff, the fertilisers is not
absorbed by the soil and then drains off
the field in rain water.
Effects of
Eutrophication!!
• As I said earlier water plants
are limited by the amount of
nutrients, a sudden enrichment
of nutrients causes a increase in
growth.
• The greater biomass of plants
increases competition, this will
cause more plants to die.
• This causes an increase in the
number of bacteria which use
the dead matter in respiration.
• They also use oxygen which is
dissolved in the water, in
respiration.
Effects of
Eutrophication!!
• Sensitive animal species such as Trout and
Mayfly nymphs are now unable to carry out
gas exchange due to less oxygen being
dissolved in the water.
• This causes them to die, or they are out
competed by animals which can extract
oxygen from the water better.
• The bacteria may also produce toxic byproducts that will kill animals living in the
water or those using it as drinking water.
Overcoming the
Problem
• Farmers need to take care with when they
able fertilisers, for instance a good time is
when its frosty.
• Also using organic fertilisers is better
• than inorganic, as they break done
• and release the nutrients more slowly,
• such as slurry.
• Also Farmers can take care where they
apply fertilisers, for instance not to close
to a water course.