438
F. Vasiliu
example the northwestern shelf of the Black Sea. On the other hand, this
part of the Black Sea belongs to the areas most affected by human
activities (Table 19.3). Because of this, and because of its geomorphological, hydrological, chemical and biological peculiarities (Zaitev 1979),
eutrophication and pollution take place here.
The northwestern shelf area is bordered by part of the Bulgarian and
Ukrainian, and by the entire Romanian coast, all in all nearly 1000 km
long (Fig. 19.1). This shallow area with an average depth of only 30 m
(maximum 100 m), a surface area of 63 900 km 2 and a volume of approximately 1910 km 3 receives about 226 km 3 land runoff annually,
mainly as river discharges from the Danube, Nistru, Bug and Nipru.
High industrialization and urbanization of the bordering countries,
particularly Romania and the Ukraine, and intensive agriculture based
on extensive use of chemicals and irrigation with water from the tributary rivers, are the main sources of eutrophication and pollution. In fact,
the northwestern shelf area of the Black Sea is the recipient of almost all
anthropogenic waste from central and southeastern Europe, and this is
reflected not only in significant changes of its hydrochemical pattern,
but also in the structure and function the pelagic and benthic systems
(Table 19.4).
19.2 Eutrophication and Pollution
in Romanian Coastal Waters
In a synthesis of work on eutrophication and pollution in shallow waters,
based on the analysis of the present state of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems, Gomoiu (1985a,b) distinguished between eutrophication and pollution as follows: (1) eutrophication: the improvement of the trophic
situation on all the structural levels of the ecosystem; the improvement is
the result of the augmentation of the quantities of nutrients up to the
maximal critical level of the self-regulation capacity of the biochemical
cycle; (2) pollution: the excess of nutrients beyond a critical maximum
level that disturbs the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in the
ecosystem.
The changes that occur with increasing eutrophication until it reaches
the stage of pollution include several phases:
1. Increase in nutrient levels.
2 Emergence of planktonic algal blooms.
F. Vasiliu
example the northwestern shelf of the Black Sea. On the other hand, this
part of the Black Sea belongs to the areas most affected by human
activities (Table 19.3). Because of this, and because of its geomorphological, hydrological, chemical and biological peculiarities (Zaitev 1979),
eutrophication and pollution take place here.
The northwestern shelf area is bordered by part of the Bulgarian and
Ukrainian, and by the entire Romanian coast, all in all nearly 1000 km
long (Fig. 19.1). This shallow area with an average depth of only 30 m
(maximum 100 m), a surface area of 63 900 km 2 and a volume of approximately 1910 km 3 receives about 226 km 3 land runoff annually,
mainly as river discharges from the Danube, Nistru, Bug and Nipru.
High industrialization and urbanization of the bordering countries,
particularly Romania and the Ukraine, and intensive agriculture based
on extensive use of chemicals and irrigation with water from the tributary rivers, are the main sources of eutrophication and pollution. In fact,
the northwestern shelf area of the Black Sea is the recipient of almost all
anthropogenic waste from central and southeastern Europe, and this is
reflected not only in significant changes of its hydrochemical pattern,
but also in the structure and function the pelagic and benthic systems
(Table 19.4).
19.2 Eutrophication and Pollution
in Romanian Coastal Waters
In a synthesis of work on eutrophication and pollution in shallow waters,
based on the analysis of the present state of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems, Gomoiu (1985a,b) distinguished between eutrophication and pollution as follows: (1) eutrophication: the improvement of the trophic
situation on all the structural levels of the ecosystem; the improvement is
the result of the augmentation of the quantities of nutrients up to the
maximal critical level of the self-regulation capacity of the biochemical
cycle; (2) pollution: the excess of nutrients beyond a critical maximum
level that disturbs the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in the
ecosystem.
The changes that occur with increasing eutrophication until it reaches
the stage of pollution include several phases:
1. Increase in nutrient levels.
2 Emergence of planktonic algal blooms.