Eutrophication

Lemna is a free- floating aquatic plant from the duckweed family, that consists of small, individual thalli (Tkalec et.al, 2001). Lemna are small, fast growing plants and they develop dense mats on ponds, especially when enough light and nutrients are available (Gérard et.al, 2014). Salt is the most toxic substance, as it causes an inhibition of plant growth and a decrease in nutrient uptake (Chang et.al, 2012). Salt stress induces the production of abscisic acid (ABA), a plant stress hormone,…

The Great Lakes hold 21% of our natural freshwater supply. I am a limnologist living in Detroit, Michigan. My city is located near Lake Erie and I visit it weekly with my research team to record the changes in the lakes. I've written two books: one about Lake Erie and the other about Lake Huron. Many believe that The Great Lakes are dying; as an expert and an experienced scientist, I can confirm that this is true mostly because of pollution, habitat loss, and non-native species entering the…

Water sustains humans and animals with life. The quality of water is important. If it is poor, it can cause changes in the ecosystem. Rivers and other water sources are being polluted with nitrates, especially the Raccoon River in Iowa. Nitrates are dangerous and can come from rural farms to urban cities. Nitrates come from fertilizers used on farms. Rain and storms cause the nitrates to flow into rivers and creeks. Many farmers do not know this. “The river was just water, as far as we were…

the last several years research has proven that fish, shellfish, and crabs in the Virginia and Maryland bays and rivers have shown positive for containing harmful toxins (Horton, 2003). Since the bay runs throughout six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, many people on the east coast are affected each year. One of the thousands of pathogens affecting humans throughout the bay is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis also known as ALS. When ALS enters in…

Introduction: Okay humans, I have had enough of this! Yes, you can come and enjoy the Great Lakes, but you need to stop causing Pollution and Habitat Loss! I have had to move from one home to another 15 times in my life. The weird thing is, I am only one and a half years old. Lake Michigan is my home, and I am going to fight to keep it clean and home friendly. Pollution: When I get in my school in the morning, I always take a deep breath of water, but I always get a hint of oil or gas in my…

The water quality of the U-High creek was excellent. Although, not all water quality is excellent due to pollution. One type of pollution is pesticides and fertilizer. When fertilizer and pesticides run off into a creek it causes algae to grow rapidly. Once the algae grows rapidly it can block the sunlight from being able to reach the bottom. Which will kill plants if they do not receive the sunlight. These algae also use up all the oxygen in the water which ends up killing most animals…

My hypothesis, if we test the water from the Conodoguinet Creek for signs of pollution, then the results would be negative for the pollution because the water appears clear at most parts of the river, is somewhat correct. Based on our findings, the degrees of pollution of the Conodoguinet Creek are very low. The phosphate levels, phosphate meaning a salt or ester of phosphoric acid (mineral acid), are at most 1. Nitrate is a salt or ester of nitric acid. The levels of nitrate are also very low,…

water quality is by fertilizers and pesticide runoff, mainly used by farmers. Fertilizers and pesticides that drain into a river increases the amount of nitrate and phosphate considerably. This leads to a massive amount of algae growth, known as eutrophication. When the algae die, they are broken down by the bacteria which multiply very quickly. The bacteria then use up all of the oxygen in the water which leads to the death of many animals. Chemical waste from industrial plants are sometimes…

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean out of the five oceans and stretches east of North and South America to west of Europe and Asia. Its climate consists of ocean currents, which are dependent on the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface and continents/landmasses nearby. Ocean currents transport heat energy within the biosphere, with surface ocean currents warming or cooling the air above them, affecting the land nearby. Surface water is affected by wind currents, while deep ocean…

What are oceanic dead zones? Dead zones are hypoxic areas in the worlds oceans and large lakes. Hypoxic areas are places that fail to meet the required percentage of oxygen needed for human life. Activities such as littering in the small lakes and ponds can cause dangerous pollution. When oil is released into the water, that can cause an overgrowth in algae which will dissolve to the bottom. They are caused by excessive nutrient pollution from human activities. These activities cause less oxygen…