Eutrophication

Managing eutrophication is a key element in maintaining the earths biodiversity. Eutrophication is a process mostly associated with human activity whereby ecosystems accumulate minerals. This free course, Eutrophication, explains how this process occurs, what its effects on different types of habitat are, and how it might be managed.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Introduction
• 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Origin of the term ‘eutrophication’
• 1.2 Resource availability and species diversity
• 1.3 Natural eutrophication
• 1.4 Human-induced eutrophication
• 2 Effects of eutrophication
• 2 Effects of eutrophication
• Introduction
• 2.1 Effects on primary producers in freshwater ecosystems
• 2.1.1 Loss of submerged plant communities
• 2.1.2 Algal blooms
• 2.2 Effects on consumers in freshwater ecosystems
• 2.3 Effects on terrestrial vegetation
• 2.4 Effects on marine systems
• 2.4.1 Estuarine species
• 2.4.2 Saltmarshes
• 3 Causes and mechanisms of eutrophication
• 3 Causes and mechanisms of eutrophication
• 3.1 Agents of eutrophication
• 3.1.1 Phosphorus
• 3.1.2 Nitrogen
• 3.2 Anthropogenic sources of nutrients
• 3.2.1 The atmosphere
• 3.2.2 Domestic detergents
• 3.2.3 Agricultural fertilizers
• 3.2.4 Land use
• 3.2.5 Sediments
• 3.3 Mechanisms of eutrophication
• 4 Managing eutrophication
• 4 Managing eutrophication
• Introduction
• 4.1 Measuring and monitoring eutrophication
• 4.2 Reducing eutrophication
• 4.3 Reducing the nutrient source
• 4.4.1 Diversion of effluent
• 4.4.2 Phosphate stripping
• 4.4.3 Buffer strips
• 4.3 Reducing the nutrient source, continued
• 4.3.4 Wetlands
• 4.3.5 Domestic campaigns
• 4.4 Reducing nutrient availability
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements