- Title
- The rise and fall of dissolved phosphate in South African rivers
- Creator
- Griffin, Neil J
- Subject
- To be catalogued
- Date Issued
- 2017
- Date
- 2017
- Type
- text
- Type
- article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/480651
- Identifier
- vital:78463
- Identifier
- https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-b46cc7319
- Description
- Eutrophication of water resources following nutrient loading is a global threat to water quality, and has been found to be one of the major threats to water quality in South Africa. Eutrophication is largescale autotroph growth following nutrient enrichment and has several consequences, including loss of biodiversity, oxygen depletion, taste/odour generation and algal toxin production. Phosphate enrichment is often (but not always) the cause of freshwater eutrophication, and limitation of phosphate is commonly used as a means of controlling eutrophication. This study reports on a survey of trends in nutrient levels in South African freshwater resources. The research reported on here shows a significant decrease in dissolved phosphate levels in recent years, following a long period during which phosphate levels had been increasing with time. While changes in inorganic nitrogen were found, these changes did not match those in phosphate levels. Several potential causes of these changes were assessed, and it is concluded that no one cause can explain the changes observed. While the decrease in freshwater phosphate levels bodes well for water quality management, internal phosphorus cycling and other mechanisms are likely to mask the short-term impact of phosphate decreases.
- Format
- 6 page
- Format
- Language
- English
- Relation
- South African Journal of Science
- Relation
- Griffin, N.J., 2017. The rise and fall of dissolved phosphate in South African rivers. South African Journal of Science, 113(11-12), pp.1-7
- Relation
- South African Journal of Science volume 113 number 11-12 1 7 2017 1996-7489
- Rights
- Publisher
- Rights
- Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Sabinet Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.sabinet.co.za/terms-conditions)
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Collections
Griffin, Neil J (Dr)
RU Institute for Water Research, including the Unilever Centre for Environmental Water Quality (IWR)
SDG 06. Clean Water and Sanitation
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