2 The Management of Eutrophicated Waters
R.H. CHARLIER! and Th. LONHIENNE 2
2.1 Introduction
Eutrophication, blooms and green tides have over the few recent decades
become scourges, indicating problems of substantial economic magnitude. Various types of pollution have enriched waters with nutrients.
These in turn have favored blooms, particularly of algae, seemingly
a mechanism of nature to "clean up". However, the cleansing agent
has become itself a nuisance and a source of pollution, in turn fouling
water, beaches and the atmosphere.
Fauna has been threatened by algal proliferation, posing a problem for
fisheries, and strandings have had adverse effects on tourism. The areas
affected by the development of an exploding algal population are expanding. The phenomenon has been observed worldwide and has triggered major concern in most EC countries (Fig. 2.1). Can this scourge be
turned into a resource? Algae, no longer a commercially viable source of
iodine, have nevertheless a wide range of uses. Bioconversion is often
proposed. Yet, except for the some very specific applications, particularly
in the food industry, major undertakings appear economically non-competitive.
However, wait-and-see attitudes should no longer prevail, and plans
for the management of eutrophication and its consequences should be
designed and implemented.
If algae appear currently to be a scourge, their economic significance
is, it ought to be stressed, not always negative. Their use seems to be
often a fashion of the times witness the recent cartoon in the American
press where a spouse having prepared a meal involving algae tells her
'Free University of Brussels (Earth Sciences, VUB), 2 Avenue du Congo (Box 23), 1050
Brussels, Belgium
2State University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
-'--'~~----=--------:,---------Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996
R.H. CHARLIER! and Th. LONHIENNE 2
2.1 Introduction
Eutrophication, blooms and green tides have over the few recent decades
become scourges, indicating problems of substantial economic magnitude. Various types of pollution have enriched waters with nutrients.
These in turn have favored blooms, particularly of algae, seemingly
a mechanism of nature to "clean up". However, the cleansing agent
has become itself a nuisance and a source of pollution, in turn fouling
water, beaches and the atmosphere.
Fauna has been threatened by algal proliferation, posing a problem for
fisheries, and strandings have had adverse effects on tourism. The areas
affected by the development of an exploding algal population are expanding. The phenomenon has been observed worldwide and has triggered major concern in most EC countries (Fig. 2.1). Can this scourge be
turned into a resource? Algae, no longer a commercially viable source of
iodine, have nevertheless a wide range of uses. Bioconversion is often
proposed. Yet, except for the some very specific applications, particularly
in the food industry, major undertakings appear economically non-competitive.
However, wait-and-see attitudes should no longer prevail, and plans
for the management of eutrophication and its consequences should be
designed and implemented.
If algae appear currently to be a scourge, their economic significance
is, it ought to be stressed, not always negative. Their use seems to be
often a fashion of the times witness the recent cartoon in the American
press where a spouse having prepared a meal involving algae tells her
'Free University of Brussels (Earth Sciences, VUB), 2 Avenue du Congo (Box 23), 1050
Brussels, Belgium
2State University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
-'--'~~----=--------:,---------Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996