Introduction
It is important to note that nutrient pollution is a major environmental problem that brings a substantial degree of imbalance to an ecosystem. The objective of the given analysis is to focus on specific nutrient pollution within lake ecosystems. The topic will focus on nitrogen pollution and its causal link with cyanobacterium or algae explosion in lakes. Human activity, such as policies, facilitates nitrogen pollution of lakes, where toxic algae strains grow excessively by releasing harmful chemicals and damaging the ecosystem.
Literature Review
One of the most problematic aspects of nitrogen pollution as a form of nutrient pollution in lakes is the algae explosion. The vast majority of algae organisms are prokaryotic ones, which specifically belong to cyanobacteria microorganisms. The explosion results in coverage of a water surface with the bacteria, and it reduces the oxygen content of the water and penetration level of light. Thus, aquatic life in the affected lakes becomes endangered due to the lack of oxygen and light for other organisms to grow. A study suggests that “as most N pollution regimes in P-rich lakes will favor toxic cyanobacterial dominance, restricting future N pollution will help curb further cyanobacterial dominance in lakes” (Bogard et al. 3219). In addition, such a change impacts “both directly and by constraining the capacity for future P loading and climate warming to drive cyanobacterial growth” (Bogard et al. 3219). In other words, nitrogen pollution favors the growth of toxic strains of cyanobacteria, which harm the lake ecosystems.
It should be noted that toxic forms of algae release chemicals as a byproduct of nitrogen utilization, which diminishes the lake ecosystem’s stability. Another study reports that toxic strains of such organisms tend to release cylindrospermopsin or CYN (Yang et al. 1041). It is also stated that nitrogen “deficiency promoted the intracellular accumulation and simultaneously restrained the extracellular release of CYN” (Yang et al. 1041). Thus, the lack of nitrogen was linked with the lower release of CYN into the lake environment because cyanobacteria preferred to store them inside their cells due to the deficiency of the pollutant. However, an abundance of nitrogen allowed the algae to adapt their cellular mechanisms to utilize the supply of the pollutant, which increased the release of toxic CYN. One should be aware that low nitrogen levels do not eliminate these toxic strains, and therefore “only N input control would be insufficient to avoid C. raciborskii bloom” (Yang et al. 1049). Additional measures need to be undertaken alongside nitrogen pollution reduction.
On the basis of the information provided above, it is critical to understand that nitrogen pollution is mostly due to human activities. It is stated that “two-thirds of agricultural policies (ranging from broad sectoral programs to nitrogen-specific measures) incentivize nitrogen use or manage its commerce, demonstrating the primacy of food production over environmental concerns” (Kanter et al.956). In other words, many commercial policies and incentives contribute to nitrogen pollution heavily. Thus, policy-based countermeasures need to be implemented in order to combat lake pollution with nutrients. The information is related to course contents on environmental pollution and ecosystem integrity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nitrogen pollution contributes to lake ecosystem destruction since toxic algae strains release their harmful byproducts, and the primary cause is linked to human activity. CYN is among these toxic chemicals, which are usually stored in the cells of algae but released when there is nitrogen abundance. Specific policies need to be incorporated among large commercial enterprises to limit their wasteful impact on the lakes.
Works Cited
Bogard, Matthew J., et al. “Unabated Nitrogen Pollution Favors Growth of Toxic Cyanobacteria over Chlorophytes in Most Hypereutrophic Lakes.” Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 54, no. 6, 2020, pp. 3219-3227.
Kanter, David R., et al. “Gaps and Opportunities in Nitrogen Pollution Policies Around the World.” Nature Sustainability, vol. 3, 2020, pp. 956-963.
Yang, Yiming, et al. “Toxicity-Associated Changes in The Invasive Cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in Response to Nitrogen Fluctuations.” Environmental Pollution, vol. 237, 2018, pp. 1041-1049.