A research report that appeared in the journal, Global Change Biology, points out the dominant level of nitrogen pollution along the coasts of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
An American University graduate student contributing to Kim’s research examines coral off the coast of Guam
It comments that the increased usage of man-made agricultural fertilizers and level of sewage wastes influx has reduced the clearness in water, led to the extinction of popular fish species and surfacing of toxic phytoplankton species. It points out that the introduction of eco-friendly agricultural practices has brought down the level of such nitrogen pollution through fertilizers in the Caribbean coastal ecosystems in the last 50 years. It cautions about the increased level of sewage-derived nitrogen in the locations.
According to Kiho Kim, chair of environmental science at the American University and one of the research authors, though the aftermath of all pollutions may remain same, distinguishing the source of pollutants is significant to forge the right type of enduring solutions. The researchers by a chemical examination of 300 coral samples available at the Invertebrate Zoology Collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History retraced the level of nitrogen seepage into the Caribbean in the last 150 years. They found that the hapless level of waste water treatment and storm water management were the real culprits for the increased level of nitrogen pollution in the region.
For the purpose of documenting the process, the researchers are planning to concentrate on coral samples collected from the seaward locations of Guam, a tiny island in the Pacific. The island has inadequate infrastructure for waste water disposal and the proposal by the U.S. military to relocate its marine personnel currently located at Okinawa, Japan is anticipated to further intensify the problem. The researchers are looking forward to making real time observation on the impact of sewage driven nitrogen over the coral reefs and compare it with the baseline data already collected.
Source: http://www.american.edu/