Third Report In "Issues In Ecology" Series Details Problems Of Nonpoint Source Pollution
In a well-groomed suburb, a woman sprays fertilizer on her lawn. Across town, a construction worker uses a hose to rinse out the inside of a dump truck. Twenty miles away, a farmer uses manure from his livestock to fertilize his crops. What these three don't realize, is that each, in their own small way, are contributing to something they have probably never even heard of, "nonpoint source pollution."
A new report, "Nonpoint Pollution of Surface Waters with Phosphorus and Nitrogen," presents an in-depth look at the problems caused by urban and rural runoff and the possible solutions. The report is the third in the Ecological Society of America's Issues in Ecology series.
Water pollution can be divided into two categories, point and nonpoint. Point sources, such as sewage pipes, are much easier to identify and control than nonpoint sources. In contrast, nonpoint sources can be intermittent and spread over a large area, making them very difficult to manage.
The biggest contributors to nonpoint source pollution are large livestock and farming operations, which can have fertilizer and manure runoff; land development, which can contribute through construction site runoff and development in areas that lack sewers; and fossil fuel burning. While each of these can contain a wide variety of pollutants, the ESA report focuses on the effects of phosphorus and nitrogen. While both of these are important nutrients for plant and animal life, too much of either can drastically alter an ecosystem.
According to the report, the most serious problem associated with nonpoint pollution is eutrophication. This occurs when the excess nutrients in the runoff, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen, cause a burst of algal and bacterial growth that leads to a loss of much of the dissolved oxygen, which, in effect, suffocates other aquatic life. This can lead to fish and marine mammal kills, the loss of coral reefs, shellfish poisoning in humans, and outbreaks of Pfiesteria, the toxic microbe that has plagued mid-Atlantic waterways.
The report lays out several steps that can be taken to help ease nonpoint source pollution. Landscape management and restoration, including vegetation buffers along waterways and wetlands restoration, can greatly decrease the flow of pollution into waterways. Additionally, the report recommends reducing fertilizer applications to better match crop needs, thereby reducing the amount of excess nutrients that may contaminate a nearby river or lake. Agricultural nonpoint source pollution can further be reduced by treating waste from intensive livestock production as a point source of pollution, as are human wastes. Nutrients can be removed from the waste before it is released into the local environment.
For urban runoff, the report recommends designing more efficient sewer systems, retention ponds, constructed wetlands, and greenways and reducing concrete and asphalt pavement, which exacerbates runoff.
In order to reach several different audiences, the research is available in three formats: a technical paper to be published in the August, 1998 issue of ESA's journal Ecological Applications (available now to journalists); a 20-page report written for an informed lay audience; and a brochure highlighting key themes. All of these will be available to the press free of charge by contacting the Public Affairs Office. Others may order copies for a nominal charge (except for the brochure, which is available for free) by contacting the Reprint Department at the address in the masthead.
Additionally, all Issues in Ecology reports are available for free at http://esa.sdsc.edu/.
The report was written by: Stephen Carpenter (lead author), University of Wisconsin, Madison; Nina Caraco, Institute of Ecosystem Studies; David Correll, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; Robert Howarth, Cornell University; Andrew Sharpley, US Department of Agriculture - Agriculture Research Service; and Val Smith, University of Kansas.
ABOUT ISSUES IN ECOLOGY
Supported by the Pew Scholars in Conservation Biology Program and the Ecological Society of America, Issues in Ecology publishes regular reports to present important ecological issues in an easy-to-read manner. Each installment is written by a panel of scientists and undergoes peer review and approval by the Editorial Board. The accompanying scientific paper undergoes the normal journal peer-review process.
Previous issues concerned human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle and ecosystem services. Look for upcoming issues to cover biodiversity and ecosystem function, ecological principals for land use management, and alternative forestry management practices.
The Editorial Board members are: David Tilman (Editor-in-Chief), University of Minnesota; Stephen Carpenter, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Deborah Jensen, The Nature Conservancy; Simon Levin, Princeton University; Jane Lubchenco, Oregon State University; Judy Meyer, University of Georgia; Lou Pitelka, Appalachian Environmental Laboratory; and William Schlesinger, Duke University.
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is a scientific, non-profit, 7,800-member organization founded in 1915. Through ESA reports, journals, membership research, and expert testimony to Congress, ESA seeks to promote the responsible application of ecological data and principles to the solution of environmental problems. ESA publishes four scientific, peer-reviewed journals: Ecology, Ecological Applications, Ecological Monographs, and Conservation Ecology. Information about the Society and its activities is published in the Society's bi-monthly newsletter, NewSource, and in the quarterly Bulletin.
Journal
Ecological Applications