Hypertrophication shouldn't exist.

Hypertrophication Should Not Exist

By Warren Palmer

In the Greek dialect, Hypertrophy means "excess nourishment". In particular, this problem relates to the complex process of how groundwater run-off leads to dead zones in nearby bodies of water. A dead zone is a hypoxic environment which contains little to no oxygen. The catalyst for this process is algae, and it makes its presence known once an "algae bloom" occurs. Such an event does not happen out of nowhere however, as something must happen beforehand that will give cause to it's occurrence.

The main culprit for this issue is humankind itself, as it is from our agricultural and urban runoff that allows such consequences to manifest. The phosphates and other nutrients that are carried from the run off into the ocean through the water cycle. The algae, or phytoplankton, are given an abundance of nutrients that allows them to multiply well beyond their normal limits. The carrying capacity of the aquatic environment cannot sustain the algae, as oxygen is depleted from the ecosystem when an algae bloom occurs. 

The algae is not the causal variable in this equation, as it is only the visible environmental consequence that we initially witness. The algae are what consume the chemical nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. They are able to grow and multiply exponentially because of this, despite their short life span. Eventually the algae die off and sink to the sea floor. Bacteria on the sea floor break down this algae, yet due to the sheer volume that is delivered to the bottom, there becomes an excess of bacteria as a result. Organisms have evolved over millions of years in our Earth's oceans to be prepared for only regular or normal amounts of dead algae to fall to the seafloor. This emphasizes the point that human intervention, whether intentional or not, will almost always have a negative impact on our planet's fragile ecosystems. 


Hypoxia is the depletion of oxygen within an environment, however this is not the only problem, as some species of algae produce toxins that can be very harmful to the environment. This phenomena is called "red tide" as the algae take on a red or brownish color, which concentrate in shallow water, usually close to a shoreline. Red tides in the  Gulf of Mexico are a result of high concentrations of algae that are normally harmless in low concentrations. Due to the algae blooms however, the algae are in a much higher concentrations. The toxins they produce paralyze the central nervous system of the fish so they cannot breathe. Red tides can also have health effects on those who are exposed to it. Particularly, those who consume shellfish that have been affected by red tide can cause eye and respiratory irritation. 

Roughly half of the known dead zones develop once a year during the summer, as the algae are able to photosynthesize more efficiently with more sunlight hitting the surface water throughout more of the day. Scientists Robert J. Diaz and Rutger Rosenberg have counted 87 dead zones in the 1970s, 162 in the 1980s, and a total of 405 in the present day. However, despite the fact that the situation is bad now, that does not mean that it cannot get any worse. It certainly can get worse, but only if we do not ensure preventative methods that will inhibit more algae blooms from occurring in the future. 

When it comes to fixing issues in our environment, there are two options. We can employ preventative measures that deals with a potential ecological disaster before it even happens; or we can choose the alternative, which is to wait for a disaster to happen and clean up the mess afterwards. One of these solutions is much better than the other, can you guess which one it is? If you guessed the first answer, then you are absolutely right! There's only one problem - we as humans do not realize the consequential magnitude of our actions until the disaster actually happens. For this very reason, preventative methods are usually not employed in time, and as a result the environmental impact can be irreversible.

However, not every environmental issue is a lost cause. Despite the fact that many dead zones take a lot of time to return to a sustainable ecosystem, many people now agree that the ecology of our beloved shorelines and beaches can be restored. Jane Lubchenco, a leading marine biologist on ocean ecology states that there is a, "Growing threat of nutrient pollution in coastal waters around the world. The conclusion is inescapable that dead zones are now a key stressor in coastal waters." However, she also states that there is a solution to the problem. "The evidence suggest that if the spigot of nutrients can be turned off, coastal systems can recover," she says. "Doing it can be accomplished by using fertilizers more efficiently, preventing human and animal sewage from entering rivers, and replanting vegetation along riverbanks to absorb excess nutrients." 

Let's just pretend for a second that humans never existed. Knowing this, a dead zone happening from an algae bloom would be very unlikely. It is pretty evident that people, of developed nations in particular, are to blame. The microorganisms do what they do because it is natural for them. Humans are the only species that can undo what has already been done. If we do not help the environment help itself, nobody else will do it for us. 

Sources: 

Perlman, David. "Scientists Alarmed by Ocean Dead-zone Growth." SFGate. SFGate, 15 Aug. 2008. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. 

"What Is a Red Tide?" What Is a Red Tide? National Ocean Service, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015. 

Dell'Amore, Christine. "Biggest Dead Zone Ever Forecast in Gulf of Mexico."National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 24 June 2013. Web. 06 Mar. 2015. 

"Harmful Algae." : Red Tide. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 15 May 2013. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. 

"Where Nutrients Come From And How They Cause Eutrophication." Where Nutrients Come From And How They Cause Eutrophication. United Nations Environment Program, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2015. 

Carpenter, Stephen R. "Phosphorus Control Is Critical to Mitigating Eutrophication." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. National Academy of Sciences, 6 Aug. 2008. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. 

"The Water Cycle." The Water Cycle. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.