Eutrophication in Ireland

slagger

I have just read an article in the Le Monde newspaper (I’m on holidays and trying to improve my Leaving cert spoken French!!) on the proliferation of algae and algae blooms. This follows the case of the death of a horse and poisoning of the rider due to hydrogen sulphide gas given off by rotting algae. They attribute the blooms to eutrophication and global warming

(Link to web article although has no chart http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2009/08/08/la-proliferation-des-algues-un-danger-pour-le-littoral_1226765_3244.html#ens_id=1226839

In the article they display a world chart of areas that are eutrophied (if that is the word), at danger and rehabilitated. They portray the entire coast of Ireland as at danger.

Is the water quality of the entire coast that bad? I would have my reservations on the east coast and isolated pockets elsewhere, but the entire coast.

I followed the source given for the chart to this web site. World Resources Institue

http://www.wri.org/map/world-hypoxic-and-eutrophic-coastal-areas

In their chart they have plastered the entire island as a danger zone. Is this an accurate representation or is it as I suspect a group involved in the website trying to sell something (nutrient trading!!!! Follow the links, http://www.nutrientnet.org/)


It’s disappointing that a paper such as Le Monde would publish information from the web, which in my opinion is not accurate and not a fair reflection of the eutrophication in Ireland.

As I write this I keep thinking of djpbarry’s (mod green issues) excellent link in his signature “don’t believe everything you read”. It’s a must read link.

r3nu4l

I remember studying eutrophication of lakes in an ecology module during my second year biology degree. Interesting subject but one overall that I always felt was one where there was plenty of room for environmental scare stories! Looks like I was right

210

Very interesting post. I would be aware of a few blooms occcuring off the Donegal coast. The blooms when they arise dont attract a lot of attention but I would guess that on average one or two occur each year (generally in august ) . They normally pop up in sheltered bays but not always so with a big one a few years ago down in Rosnowlagh which is very open. The blooms often come ashore and then move off again with the tide so they probably are arising a bit more that we might realise especially if they are turning up on remote beaches.