Effects Of Eutrophication In The Gulf Of Mexico

Eutrophication is a concern in the Chesapeake Bay. Eutrophication is caused by excessive amounts of nutrients. Excessive nutrients in the bay have negative effects on the bay's ecosystem. The extra nutrients make the environment unbalanced. The extra nutrients cause a chain reaction that eventually kills most of the organisms in that area. This is what is known as a dead zone.

Even though, fertilizers are needed to supply essential nutrients to the growth of plants; an excess of them is one of the major issues contributing to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Fertilizers are mainly composed of two elements: nitrogen and phosphorus.(4) Throughout the years, millions of pounds of this nutrients are applied all around the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; everything not absorbed by the soil or taken up by plants eventually reaches the Chesapeake Bay through storm-water runoff. This nutrients end up creating algae blooms in the water, which reduce the amount of sunlight available to underwater grasses; not allowing plants to photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. Algae then decomposes creating dead zones killing fish and other species since oxygen is needed for any organism to live. (5)

The main problem this paper intends to discuss regards the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. This dead zone, which for the most part encompasses the water off the coast of Louisiana, becomes depleted in dissolved oxygen. The dead zone is an outcome of nutrient runoff into the Gulf from urban areas, wastewater treatment plants, and from atmospheric deposition, however, the majority comes from fertilizers used in agriculture around the Mississippi River Basin. The increase in nutrients has been affecting the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem by forming difficult conditions in which organisms live. Another consequence that is directly related to the ecosystem damage is the effect on the fishing economy in in the region. In the paper I will address the questions, how has the dead zone specifically caused damage to the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico and how has that damage affected the economic productivity of the fisheries? Furthermore, what policy solutions exist to solve the dead zone problem?

There are many problems in Ohio that require attention for them to be solved. One of our main problems in Ohio right now is the level of algae we have in our lakes and rivers. Having algae in our lakes and rivers is dangerous for our present and future. Having our community drink water with algae in it can get people sick and poisoned. There have been many large algae blooms within these past few years, and having no preparations for the algae in the water caused immense panic in the community. There were stores that limited one case of water per customer, and most stores didn’t even have any water after only a couple hours, while the tap water wasn’t safe for only three days. Given that we didn’t know how long the algae would be in our water, no one was prepared and officials couldn’t tell us exactly when the water would be clean again. Most of the phosphorus that causes the algae to grow comes from our crops, like corn and wheat, being fertilized. This algae causes terror in our community and causes people to react in terrible ways. We need to have a solution figured out so that the terror stops and our families are safe. Having no water is one of the worst situations for so many people to be in when they aren’t prepared for it. This is an issue not only for our community, but for our whole country.

As humanity continues to prosper agriculturally, industrially, and in population, companies, as well as local communities, have obsessively used the Ocean to toss their waste without consequences. The formation of dead zones has been intensified by the increase runoff of fertilizers and the burning of fossil fuels. Enhanced primary production causes algae to bloom at a constant rate creating a layer near the surface. This layer acts as a roof to vegetation below resulting in a lack of oxygen which organisms use to live. According to Robert Diaz and Rutger Rosenberg, “Dead zones have now been reported from more than 400 systems, affecting a total area of more than 245,000 square kilometers, and are probably a key stressor on marine ecosystems.” Specifically, the Chesapeake Bay has been polluted to the point where areas have now been uninhabitable to marine life. Although waste disposal is a difficult issue to solve, polluting bodies of water endangers the marine life, environment, and health of organisms.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in our lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water sources cause the degradation of these water bodies and harm fish, wildlife, and human health." In the 2000 National Water Quality Inventory, states reported that agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution was the leading source of water quality impacts on surveyed rivers and lakes, as well as the second largest source of impairments to wetlands, and a major contributor to contamination of surveyed estuaries and groundwater. Agricultural activities that cause NPS pollution include poorly located or managed animal feeding operations; overgrazing; plowing too often or at the wrong time; and improper, excessive or poorly timed application of pesticides, irrigation water and fertilizer. Since the 1960s, the high input of agriculture production has resulted in the surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus in farm fields, which run off into surface waters. High concentrations of nitrates and phosphates in surface waters could lead to eutrophication and instability of the aquatic ecosystems. Eutrophication is caused by the over-enrichment of water with phosphates and nitrates, a problem that has become a widespread in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal

Seventy percent of the Dead Zone pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, is from Minnesota. But, that’s because we didn’t follow the sixteen foot buffer law. If the farmers put sixteen feet between their field and waterways, Minnesota would have clearer water. Fifty foot buffers are about five times more than we need. That empty land from the buffer is where food could be planted for many families. One acre feeds a family for a year, and one acre is around the size of a football field. Imagine 120,000 football fields, filled with food but then it gets taken

Welcome to Grecho, a city found in Norway just by the Oslofjord, and where technology and nature coexist. The Gulf of Mexico brings in warm water making Grecho much milder than where its latitude will demand. The summer temperatures can range from 51 - 69.8° F, but during spring, maximum temperatures don’t go past 60.8° F. Winter is somewhat drier than summer, lasting from November to March, and temperatures can even go below 19.8° F. Although it stays at a pretty warm temperature throughout summer and spring, people like to come during winter the most. Skiing, ice skating, and snowboarding is what we’re all about during the winter time. Grecho is geographically situated at the top of Oslofjord. Our city is inclosed by protected forests and mountains. The highest mountain situated within our city limits is the Kirkeberg (629 meters). Two thirds of our city is covered in protected forests, hills, and lakes, making it a great place to tour and travel through. The climate and geography in Grecho is quite favorable, but you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen our unique features and innovations.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is one of many throughout the world. There are many factors that cause the dead zone and not all dead zones are caused from the same things. In the Gulf of Mexico the dead zone is cause by nitrogen and phosphorus (fertilizer) go into the gulf and trigger phytoplankton blooms or algae blooms. First the oxygen rich water comes into the gulf and stratifies going to the bottom. Then the majority of the the nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture and urban run offs from the Mississippi River watershed flow in the spring and early summer. For example 70% come from where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers meet, 39% come from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, 22% come from Ohio river basin, and 11% from the Missouri river basin, and the rest come from Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Next the phytoplankton use all that fertilizer and die. Then the phytoplankton falls to the bottom of the sea and decomposes using all the oxygen. Then because of water stratification the oxygen levels on the bottom do not get

Our name is Team Ramrod. We are an efficient, dedicated and goal oriented team comprised of three engineers, two Chemical and one Biochemical, all having received diplomas from the Colorado School of Mines. Recently we were assigned the task of designing a cost and energy efficient manner with which to provide the residents of your community with clean, usable, even drinkable water. Prior to commencing the project, we have some questions and concerns we wish to address with you so that we may better be able to serve you and your residents in designing this project.

Sediment collected from the riverbank as the river flows downstream is also a problem; it increases the turbidity of the river, and this makes it difficult for plants to receive the necessary sunlight needed for survival. When these plants die, there is less food for fish and other river animals. Bacteria levels also rise in the water, because it can cling to sediment very easily. When there is more sediment, there are more places for the bacteria to collect. (Helsel & Mueller, 2009). All of these problems are occurring as the water is flowing along the river banks, collecting even more sediment, and pollutants as it travels downstream and deposits into the Gulf of Mexico. When all of this sediment, nitrogen and bacteria flow into the Gulf of Mexico, it causes changes in the water there. The increase in the level of nitrogen causes plankton to grow faster. When the plankton decomposes it takes a large amount of oxygen out of the water. The bacteria break down the decomposed plankton, which releases carbon dioxide, taking increasing levels of oxygen out of the water in the Gulf. Eventually the level of oxygen decreases to a point where most living organisms cannot survive. Some animals flee while other plants and animals that cannot leave usually die. This is referred to as the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. (Gulf of Mexico; NOAA, 2009). With an expected increase in the size

REMIEDIATING AGRICULTURAL WATER CONTAMINATION Remediating Agricultural Water Contamination: Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper Problem Concerns about water pollution are generally focused towards sources that are highly visible and chemically oriented. However, the greatest causes of water contamination and quantity abuse in the United States come from agricultural production (United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2012a), which is defined as a nonpoint source that pollutes with nutrients. In 2011, nine

HAB’s have had many economic impacts on people, agencies, and businesses over the years. Although “red tide”, “blue-green algae” and these harmful algal has been on earth for millions of years it has become more of an issue over the past couple decades. A chart provided by Donald M. Anderson tells

29% of the country 's domestic oil comes from the Gulf of Mexico. This had a

As the world develops and the human population grows there is more pollution being dumped into the oceans, causing major problems to marine life and ecosystems. Major causes of marine pollution involve non-point pollutants, marine garbage, toxic ocean pollutants and sewage disposal in oceans. From heavy metal poisoning including lead and mercury killing predators such as sharks and whales, to waste getting trapped in the digestive tracts of marine animals, this essay focuses on how human interference causes horrifying problems to the marine life, but also how to fix it. It will also explore the normal activities of people including farming and how this can cause an imbalance in an ecosystem. Everyday activities can cause massive nutrient