Abstract
Recent national assessments document that nitrogen-driven coastal eutrophication is widespread and increasing in the United States. This significant coastal pollution problem includes impacts including increased areas and severity of hypoxic and anoxic waters; alteration of food webs; degradation and loss of sea grass beds, kelp beds and coral reefs; loss of biodiversity; and increased incidences and duration of harmful algal blooms. In this paper, we review two complementary approaches to assessing the causes and consequences of these trends, as well as potential remedies for them. The first is a national-scale assessment, drawn primarily from expert knowledge of those most familiar with the individual estuaries and integrated into a common analysis framework. The second approach, focused on the Mississippi/Atchafalaya basin – the largest US drainage basin – draws upon both quantitative and qualitative analyses within a comprehensive framework, Integrated Assessment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bettencourt A., Bricker S.B., Ferreira J.G., Franco A., Marques J.C., Melo J.J., Nobre A., Ramos L., Reis C.S., Salas F., Silva M.C., Simas T., Wolff W. (2004) Typology and Reference Conditions for Portuguese Transitional and Coastal Waters Development of guidelines for the application of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Instituto da Agua (INAG)-Institute of Marine Science (IMAR), Lisbon, http://www.ecowin.org/ticor/documents/TICOR%20book.pdf
Bierman Jr. V.J., Hinz S.C., Wiseman Jr. W.J., Rabalais N.N. and Turner R.E. 2001 Forecasting hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico: Responses to nutrient loadings from the Mississippi River Basin. Presentation at Coastal Zone 01, July 18, 2001, Cleveland
Boynton W.R., Murray L., Hagy J.D., Stokes C., Kemp W.M. (1996) A comparative analysis of eutrophication patterns in a temperate coastal lagoon. Estuaries 19(2B): 408–421
Brezonik P.L., Bierman Jr. V.J., Alexander R., Anderson J., Barko J., Dortch M., Hatch L., Hitchcock G.L., Keeney D., Mulla D., Smith V., Walker C., Whitledge T. and Wiseman Jr. W.J. 1999. Effects of Reducing Nutrient Loads to Surface Waters within the Mississippi River Basin and the Gulf of Mexico. Topic 4 Report for the Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 18, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring
Bricker S., Matlock G., Snider J., Mason A., Alber M., Boynton W., Brock D., Brush G., Chestnut D., Claussen U., Dennison W., Dettmann E., Dunn D., Ferreira J., Flemer D., Fong P., Fourqurean J., Hameedi J., Hernandez D., Hoover D., Johnston D., Jones S., Kamer K., Kelty R., Keeley D., Langan R., Latimer J., Lipton D., Magnien R., Malone T., Morrison G., Newton J., Pennock J., Rabalais N., Scheurer D., Sharp J., Smith D., Smith S., Tester P., Thom R., Trueblood D. and Van Dolah R. 2004. National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment Update: Workshop summary and recommendations for development of a long-term monitoring and assessment program. Proceedings of a workshop September 4–5 2002, Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, Laurel, Maryland. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Silver Spring. http://www.eutro.org/documents/dldo.pdf
Bricker S.B., Clement C.G., Pirhalla D.E., Orlando S.P. and Farrow D.R.G. 1999. National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment. Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in the Nation’s Estuaries. NOAA, National Ocean Service, Special Projects Office and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring. http://www.spo.nos.noaa.gov/projects/cads/nees/Eutro_Report.pdf
Bricker S.B., Ferreira J.G., Simas T. (2003) An Integrated Methodology for Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status. Ecol. Model. 169: 39–60 http://www.coastalscience.noaa.gov/documents/assets.pdf
Burkholder J.M., Noga E.J., Hobbs C.H., Glasgow Jr. H.B. (1992a) New ‘phantom’ dinoflagellate is the causative agent of major estuarine fish kills. Nature 358: 407–410
Burkholder J.M., Mason K.M., Glasgow Jr. H.B. (1992b) Water-column nitrate enrichment promotes decline of eelgrass Zostera marina: evidence from seasonal mesocosm experiments. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 81: 163–178
Coastal Assessment and Data Synthesis System (CADS). 1999. NOAA, National Ocean Service, Special Projects Office, Silver Spring. http://www.cads.nos.noaa.gov
CENR (2003) An Assessment of Coastal Hypoxia and Eutrophication in U.S. Coastal Waters. National Science and Technology Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Washington, http://www.nccos.noaa.gov/publications/hypoxia.pdf
CENR (2000) Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. National Science and Technology Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Washington
Clark W.C., Majone G. (1985) The critical appraisal of scientific enquiries with policy implications. Science, Technology and Human Values 10(3): 6–19
COAST. 2003. European Union Common Implementation Strategy Working Group 24 Final Draft Guidance on Coastal and Transitional Waters. European Union Water Directors, Copenhagen. http://www.eutro.org/documents/wfd%20cis2.4%20(coast)%20guidance%20on% 20tcw.pdf
Dennison W.C., Moore K.A. and Stevenson J.C. 1992. Chapter III: SAV habitat requirements development. In: Batuik R.A., Orth R.J., Moore K.A., Dennison W.C., Stevenson J.C., Staver␣L.W., Carter V., Rybicki N.B., Hickman R.E., Kollar S., Bieber S. and Heasly P. (eds), Chesapeake Bay Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Habitat Requirements and Restoration Targets: A Technical Synthesis. US Environmental Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis
Diaz R.J. and Solow A. 1999. Ecological and economic consequences of hypoxia. Topic 2. Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Assessment. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring
Doering, O.C. et al. 1999. Evaluation of the economic costs and benefits of methods for reducing nitrogen loads to the Gulf of Mexico. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 20, Silver Spring
European Commission Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html
Goolsby D.A., Battaglin W.A., Lawrence G.B., Artz R.S., Aulenbach B.T., Hooper R.P., Keeney␣D.R. and Stensland G.J. 1999. Flux and Sources of Nutrients in the Mississippi– Atchafalaya River Basin, Topic 3 Report for the Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 17. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring
Hinga K.R., Stanley D.W., Klein C.J., Lucid D.T. and Katz M.J. (eds) 1991. The National Estuarine Eutrophication Project: Workshop Preceedings. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Rockville http://www.eutro.org/documents/hinga%201991.pdf
Howarth R.W., Anderson D., Cloern J., Elfring C., Hopkinson C., Lapointe B., Malone T., Marcus N., McGlathery K., Sharpley K., Walker D. (2000) Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas. Issues Ecol. 7: 1–15
Howarth R., Marino R. and Scavia D. 2003. Nutrient Pollution in Coastal Waters – Priority Topics for an Integrated National Research Program for the United States. United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Silver Spring
Jaworski N.A. (1981) Sources of nutrients and the scale of eutrophication problems in estuaries. In: Neilson B.J., Cronin L.E. (eds) Estuaries and Nutrients. Humana Press, Clifton, pp. 83–110
Lapointe B.E., Matzie W.R. (1996) Effects of stormwater nutrient discharges on eutrophication processes in nearshore waters of the Florida Keys. Estuaries 19(2B): 422–435
Lipton D.W., Hicks R. (2003) The cost of stress: low dissolved oxygen and recreational striped bass (Morone saxatilis) fishing in the Patuxent River. Estuaries 26: 310–315
Lipton D.W. and Hicks R. 1999. Linking water quality improvements to recreational fishing values: the case of Chesapeake Bay striped bass. In: Evaluating the Benefits of Recreational Fisheries. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 7(2). University of British Columbia.
Mason A., Lipton D.W. and Bricker S.B. 2004. Improving indicators of water quality degradation impacts for management of estuarie and coastal waters, p. 102. In American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and The Oceanography Society 2004 Ocean Research Conference Abstract Book. February 15–20, 2004. Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu. http://www.aslo.org/honolulu2004/files/aslo-tos-2004-abstracts.pdf
McIssac G.F., David M.B., Gertner G.Z., Goolsby D.A. (2001) Nitrate flux in the Mississippi River. Nature 414: 166–167
McIssac G.F., David M.B., Gertner G.Z., Goolsby D.A. (2002) Relating net nitrogen input in the Mississippi River basin to nitrate flux in the Lower Mississippi River: a comparison of approaches. J. Environ. Quality 31: 1610–1622
Morgan M.G., Dowlatabadi H. (1996) Learning from integrated assessment of climate change. Climatic Change 34: 337–368
Mitsch W.J., Day Jr. J.W., Gilliam J.W., Groffman P.M., Hey D.L., Randall G.W. and Wang N. 1999. Reducing Nutrient Loads, Especially Nitrate-Nitrogen, to Surface Water, Ground Water, and the Gulf of Mexico. Topic 5 Report for the Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 19. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring
Mitsch W.J., Day Jr J.W., Gilliam J.W., Groffman P.M., Hey D.L., Randall G.W., Wang N. (2001) Reducing nitrogen loading to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River basin: strategies to counter a persistent ecological problem. BioScience 15: 373–388
Mistiaen J.A., Strand I.E., Lipton D.W. (2003) Effects of Environmental stress on blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) harvests in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Estuaries 26: 316–322
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1996. NOAA’s Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 1: South Atlantic Region. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment. Silver Spring http://www.eutro.org/documents/south%20atlantic%20regional%20report.pdf
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1997a. NOAA’s Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 2: Mid-Atlantic Region. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment. Silver Spring http://www.eutro.org/documents/mid-atlantic%20regional%20report.pdf
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1997b. NOAA’s Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 3: North Atlantic Region. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment. Silver Spring http://www.eutro.org/documents/north%20atlantic%20regional%20 report. pdf
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1997c. NOAA’s Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 4: Gulf of Mexico Region. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment. Silver Spring http://www.eutro.org/documents/gulf%20of%20mexico%20regional%20 report.pdf
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1998. NOAA’s Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 5: Pacific Coast Region. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment. Silver Spring http://www.eutro.org/documents/pacific%20regional%20report.pdf
National Research Council (NRC) (2000) Clean Coastal Waters: Understanding and Reducing the Effects of Nutrient Pollution. National Academy Press, Washington
Nixon S.W. (1983) Estuarine Ecology: A Comparative and Experimental Analysis using 14 Estuaries and the MERL Ecosystems. Final Report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chesapeake Bay Program, Washington
Ocean Commission. 2004. An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century. Final Report. U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Washington, DC
Oslo Paris Convention for the Protection of the North Sea (OSPAR). 2003. OSPAR Integrated Report 2003 on the Eutrophication Status of the OSPAR Maritime Area Based Upon the First Application of the Comprehensive Procedure. OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. http://www.eutro.org/documents/p00189_ Eutrophication%20Status%20Report%202003.pdf
Oslo Paris Convention for the Protection of the North Sea (OSPAR). 2002. Common Assessment Criteria, their Assessment Levels and Area Classification within the Comprehensive Procedure of the Common Procedure. OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. http://www.ospar.org/eng/html/welcome.html
Orth R.J., Moore K.A. (1984) Distribution and abundance of submerged aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay: An historical perspective. Estuaries 7: 531–540
Rabalais N.N., Turner R.E., Justic D., Dortch Q., Wiseman Jr W.J., Sen Gupta B.K. (1996) Nutrient changes in the Mississippi Rover and system responses on the adjacent continental shelf. Estuaries 19(2B): 386–407
Rabalais N.N. and Harper Jr. D.E. 1992. Studies of benthic biota in area affected by moderate and severe hypoxia. In: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program Office, Nutrient Enhanced Coastal Ocean Productivity: Proceedings of a Workshop. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, October 1991 (pp. 150–153). Sea Grant Program, Texas A & M University, Galveston
Rabalais N.N., Turner R.E., Justić D., Dortch Q. and Wiseman Jr. W.J. 1999. Characterization of Hypoxia: Topic 1 Report for the Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 15. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Ocean Program, Silver Spring
Rabalais N.N., Turner R.E., Scavia D. (2002) Beyond science into policy: Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia and the Mississippi River. BioScience 52: 129–142
Scavia D., Rabalais N.N., Turner R.E., Justić D., Wiseman Jr W.J. (2003) Predicting the response of Gulf of Mexico hypoxia to variations in Mississippi River nitrogen load. Limnol. Oceanogr. 48: 951–956
Scavia D., Justić D., Bierman Jr V.J. (2004) Reducing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico: advice from three models. Estuaries 27: 419–425
Smith C.A. and Maxwell B.A. 2002. Deluxe Integrated System for Clustering Operations (DISCO). http://www.narya.engin.swarthmore.edu/disco/
Smith S.V., Buddemeier R.W., Bricker S.B., Maxwell B.A., Pacheco P. and Mason A. 2004. Estuarine Typology: Perturbations and eutrophication responses. In: American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and The Oceanography Society 2004 Ocean Research Conference Abstract Book, p. 150. February 15–20, 2004. Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu. http://www.aslo.org/honolulu2004/files/aslo-tos-2004-abstracts.pdf
Smith R.A., Schwarz G.E., Alexander R.B. (1997) Spatially referenced regressions on watershed attributes (SPARROW). Regional interpretation of water quality monitoring data. Water Resources Research 33: 2781–2798
Stevenson J.C., Staver L.W., Staver K.W. (1993) Water quality associated with survival of submersed aquatic vegetation along an estuarine gradient. Estuaries 16(2): 346–361
Task Force. 2001. Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force. 2001. Action Plan for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, Washington
Twilley R.R., Kemp W.M., Staver K.W., Stevenson J.C., Boynton W.R. (1985) Nutrient enrichment of estuarine submersed vascular plant communities. I. Algal growth and effects on production of plants and associated communities. Marine Ecol. Prog. Series 23: 179–191
Welsh B. 1991. Anoxia and Hypoxia in Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay, and Mobile Bay: A comparative assessment. In: Hinga K.R., Stanley D.W., Klein C.J., Lucid D.T. and Katz M.J. (eds), The National Estuarine Eutrophication Project: Workshop Proceedings. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, Rockville, pp. 35–40 http://www.eutro.org/documents/hinga%201991.pdf
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Scavia, D., Bricker, S.B. Coastal eutrophication assessment in the United States. Biogeochemistry 79, 187–208 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-006-9011-0
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-006-9011-0