1	Lecture 1. Introduction to Agricultural Pollution Control Including particular reference to Eastern and Central Europe Prepared by Assoc. Prof. Philip Chiverton, SLU
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12	Problems and causes - a summary Nutrient over-enrichment of coastal ecosystems generally triggers ecological changes that decrease the biological diversity of bays and estuaries While moderate N enrichment of some coastal waters may increase fish production, over-enrichment generally degrades the marine food web that supports commercially valuable fish. The marked increase in nutrient pollution of coastal waters has been accompanied by an increase in harmful algal blooms, and in at least some cases, pollution has triggered these blooms.
13	Problems and causes cont’d High nutrient levels and the changes they cause in water quality and the makeup of the algal community are detrimental to the health of coral reefs and the diversity of animal life supported by seaweed and kelp communities. Research during the past decade confirms that N is the chief culprit in eutrophication and other impacts of nutrient over-enrichment in temperate coastal waters, while P is most problematic in eutrophication of freshwater lakes. Human conversion of atmospheric N into biologically useable forms, principally synthetic inorganic fertilizers, now matches the natural rate of biological N fixation from all the land surfaces of the earth.
14	Problems and causes cont’d Both agriculture and the burning of fossil fuels contribute significantly to non-point flows of N to coastal waters, either as direct runoff or airborne pollutants. N from animal wastes that leaks directly to surface waters or is volatilized to the atmosphere as ammonia may be the largest single source of N that moves from agricultural operations into coastal waters.
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