Galloway et al., 1995; Vitousek et al., 1997). Increased
nutrient loading, in particular N and P, to freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems can lead to eutrophic impacts
manifested by increased plant growth and in most cases
undesirable changes in ecosystem structure and function.
Large-scale human activities such as deforestation and
expanding agricultural land use have caused increased erosion and sediment, C, and nutrient transport through riverine systems. Urbanization plays a major role in nutrient
source contribution, and most impacts can be ascribed to
a few major large-scale impacts, such as urban storm water
runoff, combined or sanitary sewer systems, waste water
treatment, and legacy pollution (Walsh et al., 2005). These
increases in nutrients from various sources such as
urban landscapes, coastal communities, and agricultural
and suburban environments impact the transport and
retention of nutrients, most notably N and P, in the environment (Grimm et al., 2005; Collins et al., 2010; Harrison
et al., 2011).
Bibliography
Allan, D. J., and Castillo, M. M., 2007. Stream Ecology: Structure
and Function of Running Waters, 2nd edn. New York: Springer.
Bouwman, A. F., Bierkens, M. F. P., Griffioen, J., Hefting, M. M.,
Middleburg, J. J., Middlekoop, M., and Slomp, C. P., 2013.
Nutrients dynamics, transfer and retention along the aquatic continuum from land to ocean: towards integration of ecological and
biogeochemical models. Biogeosciences, 10, 1–23.
Collins, K. A., et al., 2010. Opportunities and challenges for managing nitrogen in urban stormwater: a review and synthesis.
Ecological Engineering, 36(11), 1507–1519.
DeAngelis, D. L., Mulholland, P. J., Palumbo, A. V., Steinman,
A. D., Huston, M. A., and Elwood, J. W., 1989. Nutrient Dynamics and Food-web Stability. Annual Review of Ecology and
Systematics, 20, 71–95.
Galloway, J. N., Schlesinger, W. H., Levy, H., III, Michaels, A., and
Schnoor, J. L., 1995. Nitrogen fixation: anthropogenic enhancement environmental response. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 9,
235–252.
Grimm, N. B., Sheibley, R. W., Crenshaw, C. L., Dahm, C. N.,
Roach, W. J., and Zeglin, L. H., 2005. N retention and transformation in urban streams. Journal of the North American
Benthological Society, 24(3), 626–642.
Harrison, M. D., Groffman, P. M., Mayer, P. M., Kaushal, S. S., and
Newcomer, T. A., 2011. Denitrification in alluvial wetlands in an
urban landscape. Journal of Environmental Quality, 40(2),
634–646.
Hauer, R. F., and Lamberti, L. A., 2006. Methods in Stream Ecology,
2nd edn. Waltham: Academic.
Officer, C. B., and Ryther, J. H., 1980. The possible importance of
silicon in marine eutrophication. Marine Ecology-Progress
Series, 3, 83–91.
Smith, R. L., and Smith, T. M., 1998. Elements of Ecology, 8th edn.
Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings.
Smith, V. H., Tilman, G. D., and Nekola, J. C., 1999. Eutrophication: impacts of excess nutrients inputs on freshwater, marine,
and terrestrial ecosystems. Environmental Pollution, 100,
179–196.
Stumm, W., 1973. The acceleration of the hydrogeochemical
cycling of phosphorus. Water Research, 7, 131–144.
Valiela, I., Foreman, K., LaMontagne, M., Hersh, D., Costa, J.,
Peckol, P., DeMeo-Andreson, B., D’Avanzo, C., Babione, M.,
Sham, C., Brawley, J., and Lajtha, K., 1992. Couplings of
watersheds and coastal waters: sources and consequences of
nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts. Estuaries,
15(4), 443–457.
Vitousek, P. M., Mooney, H. A., Lubchenko, J., and Melillo, J. M.,
1997. Human domination of Earth’s ecosystems. Science, 277,
494–499.
von Liebig, J., 1855. Principles of agricultural chemistry with special reference to the late researches made in England. In
Pomeroy, L. R. (ed.), Cycles of Essential Elements. Stroudsburg:
Dowden/Hutchinson/Ross. Benchmark Papers in Ecology,
Vol. 1.
Walsh, C. J., Roy, A. H., Feminella, J. W., Cottingham, P. D.,
Groffman, P. M., and Morgan, R. P. M., II, 2005. The urban
stream syndrome: current knowledge and he search for a cure.
Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 24(3),
706–723.
Cross-references
Macronutrients
Micronutrients
Nitrogen
Nutrient Limitation
Nutrients
Phosphorus
NUTRIENT LIMITATION
Manuel Flores Montes
Department of Oceanography, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Synonyms
Nutrient deficiency; Nutrient insufficiency
Definition
Nutrient limitation is defined as growth limitation of an
organism due to nutrient deficiency. A nutrient that is in
lowest supply relative to the others will be the limiting
nutrient to growth and productivity of the organism
(Liebig’s Law of the Minimum).
Description
Ecological Importance: In aquatic ecology, the term
“nutrient limitation” refers to the limitation of net primary
production, or total system net production. The concept of
a limiting nutrient is essential to understanding biological
processes. The nutrient in short supply relative to the
others will be exhausted first and will thus limit cellular
growth. Nutrient limitation leads to a reduction in growth
and photosynthetic rate (Falkowski and Raven, 2007).
However, unless the nutrients are available in adequate
amounts relative to each other, autotrophic growth is
“nutrient limited” by one or the other nutrient. Carbon,
a highly available element in the estuarine environment
(carbonate, bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide), is rarely
limiting. Minor and trace elements are required by autotrophs, although their estuarine availability usually is not
NUTRIENT LIMITATION
463
nutrient loading, in particular N and P, to freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems can lead to eutrophic impacts
manifested by increased plant growth and in most cases
undesirable changes in ecosystem structure and function.
Large-scale human activities such as deforestation and
expanding agricultural land use have caused increased erosion and sediment, C, and nutrient transport through riverine systems. Urbanization plays a major role in nutrient
source contribution, and most impacts can be ascribed to
a few major large-scale impacts, such as urban storm water
runoff, combined or sanitary sewer systems, waste water
treatment, and legacy pollution (Walsh et al., 2005). These
increases in nutrients from various sources such as
urban landscapes, coastal communities, and agricultural
and suburban environments impact the transport and
retention of nutrients, most notably N and P, in the environment (Grimm et al., 2005; Collins et al., 2010; Harrison
et al., 2011).
Bibliography
Allan, D. J., and Castillo, M. M., 2007. Stream Ecology: Structure
and Function of Running Waters, 2nd edn. New York: Springer.
Bouwman, A. F., Bierkens, M. F. P., Griffioen, J., Hefting, M. M.,
Middleburg, J. J., Middlekoop, M., and Slomp, C. P., 2013.
Nutrients dynamics, transfer and retention along the aquatic continuum from land to ocean: towards integration of ecological and
biogeochemical models. Biogeosciences, 10, 1–23.
Collins, K. A., et al., 2010. Opportunities and challenges for managing nitrogen in urban stormwater: a review and synthesis.
Ecological Engineering, 36(11), 1507–1519.
DeAngelis, D. L., Mulholland, P. J., Palumbo, A. V., Steinman,
A. D., Huston, M. A., and Elwood, J. W., 1989. Nutrient Dynamics and Food-web Stability. Annual Review of Ecology and
Systematics, 20, 71–95.
Galloway, J. N., Schlesinger, W. H., Levy, H., III, Michaels, A., and
Schnoor, J. L., 1995. Nitrogen fixation: anthropogenic enhancement environmental response. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 9,
235–252.
Grimm, N. B., Sheibley, R. W., Crenshaw, C. L., Dahm, C. N.,
Roach, W. J., and Zeglin, L. H., 2005. N retention and transformation in urban streams. Journal of the North American
Benthological Society, 24(3), 626–642.
Harrison, M. D., Groffman, P. M., Mayer, P. M., Kaushal, S. S., and
Newcomer, T. A., 2011. Denitrification in alluvial wetlands in an
urban landscape. Journal of Environmental Quality, 40(2),
634–646.
Hauer, R. F., and Lamberti, L. A., 2006. Methods in Stream Ecology,
2nd edn. Waltham: Academic.
Officer, C. B., and Ryther, J. H., 1980. The possible importance of
silicon in marine eutrophication. Marine Ecology-Progress
Series, 3, 83–91.
Smith, R. L., and Smith, T. M., 1998. Elements of Ecology, 8th edn.
Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings.
Smith, V. H., Tilman, G. D., and Nekola, J. C., 1999. Eutrophication: impacts of excess nutrients inputs on freshwater, marine,
and terrestrial ecosystems. Environmental Pollution, 100,
179–196.
Stumm, W., 1973. The acceleration of the hydrogeochemical
cycling of phosphorus. Water Research, 7, 131–144.
Valiela, I., Foreman, K., LaMontagne, M., Hersh, D., Costa, J.,
Peckol, P., DeMeo-Andreson, B., D’Avanzo, C., Babione, M.,
Sham, C., Brawley, J., and Lajtha, K., 1992. Couplings of
watersheds and coastal waters: sources and consequences of
nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts. Estuaries,
15(4), 443–457.
Vitousek, P. M., Mooney, H. A., Lubchenko, J., and Melillo, J. M.,
1997. Human domination of Earth’s ecosystems. Science, 277,
494–499.
von Liebig, J., 1855. Principles of agricultural chemistry with special reference to the late researches made in England. In
Pomeroy, L. R. (ed.), Cycles of Essential Elements. Stroudsburg:
Dowden/Hutchinson/Ross. Benchmark Papers in Ecology,
Vol. 1.
Walsh, C. J., Roy, A. H., Feminella, J. W., Cottingham, P. D.,
Groffman, P. M., and Morgan, R. P. M., II, 2005. The urban
stream syndrome: current knowledge and he search for a cure.
Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 24(3),
706–723.
Cross-references
Macronutrients
Micronutrients
Nitrogen
Nutrient Limitation
Nutrients
Phosphorus
NUTRIENT LIMITATION
Manuel Flores Montes
Department of Oceanography, Federal University of
Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Synonyms
Nutrient deficiency; Nutrient insufficiency
Definition
Nutrient limitation is defined as growth limitation of an
organism due to nutrient deficiency. A nutrient that is in
lowest supply relative to the others will be the limiting
nutrient to growth and productivity of the organism
(Liebig’s Law of the Minimum).
Description
Ecological Importance: In aquatic ecology, the term
“nutrient limitation” refers to the limitation of net primary
production, or total system net production. The concept of
a limiting nutrient is essential to understanding biological
processes. The nutrient in short supply relative to the
others will be exhausted first and will thus limit cellular
growth. Nutrient limitation leads to a reduction in growth
and photosynthetic rate (Falkowski and Raven, 2007).
However, unless the nutrients are available in adequate
amounts relative to each other, autotrophic growth is
“nutrient limited” by one or the other nutrient. Carbon,
a highly available element in the estuarine environment
(carbonate, bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide), is rarely
limiting. Minor and trace elements are required by autotrophs, although their estuarine availability usually is not
NUTRIENT LIMITATION
463