The Management of Eutrophicated Waters
61
dystrophia. Proliferation but also degradation of algae are at the basis of
the death of many animals (Morand et al. 1992). Beaches had to be
closed, fishing interrupted, and governments had to intervene due to
eutrophication along the coasts of France, Spain, and Italy. The situation
has been particularly bad south of the Po River and in the Venice Lagoon
where disappearance or decline of many algae has been reported. UIvaceae have colonized large areas because of their adaptability to polluted conditions as reported by Sfriso and his collaborators (Sfriso 1987;
Sfriso et al. 1987).
Cooperative studies into the mechanism and dynamics of the impact
of marine eutrophication on benthic macrophytes in European coastal
waters have been launched. EUMAC is a cooperative EU project of several universities and research centers. The effort is bringing a welcome
relief to those attempting to solve the problem - and not very successfully- on a local short-term basis. As the phenomenon is on a global
scale and is no longer an open-sea matter only, a multinational approach
seemed required. Adequate management of the problems remains thus
far impossible as, among other reasons, balanced models exist only on a
local scale. Their development is hampered by a paucity of knowledge
about the taxonomy and physiology of macroalgae. Local data commonly
target instantaneous nutrient concentrations and details on the dynamic
facets are rare, with causal relations between these and the eutrophication process rarely documented. EUMAC proposes identification of the
dominant nuisance macroalgae and in vitro identification of their nutrient kinetic physiological characteristics. Not only will the green tides be
fought and attempts been made at preventing further eutrophication by
biomanagement, but the product, i.e., the nuisance algae, can conceivably be put to use for waste water treatment or nutrient recycling, or
processed into food, feed or fertilizer, or used as a source of specific
chemical compounds and for bioenergy purposes (Charlier and Justus
1993).
Already twenty years ago, Waite and Mitchell (1972) described green
tides as occurring in numerous estuaries as well as along coasts and
ascribed them to human causes. Discharged waters, derived from farming and industry, are responsible for eutrophication, since they are rich
in nitrates, phosphates and ammonium, which can be directly
assimilated by algae. The salts are concentrated in waters that are not
constantly renewed, and in some locations dominant currents carry
floating biomass onto the shore. To a point a "catch 22" situation may
develop; unless stranded algae are removed, they will ferment releasing
H 2 S - and remineralization processes may take place, providing renewed
fertilization of the waters which, in turn, may accelerate eutrophication.
61
dystrophia. Proliferation but also degradation of algae are at the basis of
the death of many animals (Morand et al. 1992). Beaches had to be
closed, fishing interrupted, and governments had to intervene due to
eutrophication along the coasts of France, Spain, and Italy. The situation
has been particularly bad south of the Po River and in the Venice Lagoon
where disappearance or decline of many algae has been reported. UIvaceae have colonized large areas because of their adaptability to polluted conditions as reported by Sfriso and his collaborators (Sfriso 1987;
Sfriso et al. 1987).
Cooperative studies into the mechanism and dynamics of the impact
of marine eutrophication on benthic macrophytes in European coastal
waters have been launched. EUMAC is a cooperative EU project of several universities and research centers. The effort is bringing a welcome
relief to those attempting to solve the problem - and not very successfully- on a local short-term basis. As the phenomenon is on a global
scale and is no longer an open-sea matter only, a multinational approach
seemed required. Adequate management of the problems remains thus
far impossible as, among other reasons, balanced models exist only on a
local scale. Their development is hampered by a paucity of knowledge
about the taxonomy and physiology of macroalgae. Local data commonly
target instantaneous nutrient concentrations and details on the dynamic
facets are rare, with causal relations between these and the eutrophication process rarely documented. EUMAC proposes identification of the
dominant nuisance macroalgae and in vitro identification of their nutrient kinetic physiological characteristics. Not only will the green tides be
fought and attempts been made at preventing further eutrophication by
biomanagement, but the product, i.e., the nuisance algae, can conceivably be put to use for waste water treatment or nutrient recycling, or
processed into food, feed or fertilizer, or used as a source of specific
chemical compounds and for bioenergy purposes (Charlier and Justus
1993).
Already twenty years ago, Waite and Mitchell (1972) described green
tides as occurring in numerous estuaries as well as along coasts and
ascribed them to human causes. Discharged waters, derived from farming and industry, are responsible for eutrophication, since they are rich
in nitrates, phosphates and ammonium, which can be directly
assimilated by algae. The salts are concentrated in waters that are not
constantly renewed, and in some locations dominant currents carry
floating biomass onto the shore. To a point a "catch 22" situation may
develop; unless stranded algae are removed, they will ferment releasing
H 2 S - and remineralization processes may take place, providing renewed
fertilization of the waters which, in turn, may accelerate eutrophication.