Conveners
Plenary - 4th Water Debate: Nitrogen versus phosphorus - How to tackle the eutrophication problem in lakes?
- Daniel Graeber
- Nuria Perujo
- Karsten Rinke
Description
This debate focusses on the best way to deal with the pervasive eutrophication issue in lakes, still resulting in a plethora of deleterious effects for humans and nature. The participants are Karsten Rinke (SEEFO) and Daniel Graeber (ASAM), which have differing priorities on how to solve this issue. Nuria Perujo (FLOEK) supports the preparation of the debate with external viewpoints. We, the participants, aim to make this debate as approachable as possible for all listeners from the IP freshwater resources, including friends of the IP. Within the debate, we aim to foster discussion and exchange and may even possibly reach a conclusion towards further IP work on eutrophication management and aquatic ecosystem productivity. Yet, we also expect (and hope for) some heat due to our contrasting viewpoints, so join the IP summer workshop to see it!
Our viewpoints:
- Karsten Rinke: Lake eutrophication management through phosphorus control has been done for decades and is very successful. Nitrogen management will not have the same impact, since nitrogen limitation is efficiently prevented by biological provisioning of nitrogen through fixation.
- Daniel Graeber: Lake eutrophication management could have been much more successful in the last decades if also the pervasive nitrogen pollution would have been tackled. Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation is very common, as denitrification is a key process removing nitrogen from lakes.
- Nuria Perujo: Management of eutrophication should address the dissolved organic components in aquatic ecosystems and their microbial cycling in water and sediments. This cycling may significantly contribute to the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, ultimately promoting algal biomass. Inclusion of organic compounds may support efforts to control eutrophication and its impacts on water quality.
