1. Plant Nutrients
Diego and lorenzo

2. Type of pollution and problem
Nutrient pollution occurs when too much Nitrogen and Phosphorus enter in to the waterways usually through human caused actions. This pollution affects the ecosystem because it cause algae to grow and bloom at a unnatural and rapid rate. The algae can consume and deprive the water of oxygen and release toxins into the water,

3. Effects of nutrient
When algae grows at a rapid rate it can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water which contributes to the illness and death of fish. Algae can even clog the gills in fish.
When the algae blooms it can release toxins that are harmful to native aquatic life and humans. The algae can also increase bacterial growth, this can make humans sick when the consume tainted fish and shellfish.
The algae contribute to the blocking of sunlight. This blocking of sunlight affects the growth of submerged aquatic vegetation which is a main source of food for numerous fish and aquatic animals.

4. Examples of pollution
Golden Alga- This type of algae occurs in inland waters throughout the globe, it is harmful when it blooms because it releases toxins harmful to aquatic species. The species they affect the most is most fish, shellfish such as mussels, and amphibians.
Red tide algae are usually vital to the ecosystem but can be detrimental when they get out of hand. They ruin fish industry and coast lines by releasing brevotoxins that kills many fish and aquatic animals. They are found from Scandinavia to Japan and it’s a global problem.
Brown tide algae come from micro-organism called Aureoumbra lagunensis. Brown tide algae can cause problems when 1-2 million cells are found in one milliliter of water because they become dense. This affects life because it blocks sunlight from seagrass to grow. The seagrass is important because it is a location where various species of fish lay their eggs. When the seagrass population is depleted so is the fish population which hurts the industry.

5. Causes of the pollution
Nutrient pollution is caused due to excess Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the water.
Point Sources: Sewage treatment plants, storm water runoff, septic tanks, animal manure, and fertilizers, and decaying organic matter.

6. Case study
Chesapeake bay: Problem- Due to excess nutrients in the water such as Nitrogen and phosphorus it has had an negative effect on the bay. The algae has contributed to the reduction of sunlight which hinders the growth of aquatic vegetation. The vegetation produces food and oxygen for the aquatic animals on the bay, with its population reduction the amount of dissolve oxygen also reduces in the water. The dissolve oxygen also disappears because the bacteria that feed on the large amounts dead algae they require large amounts of oxygen. Effects & Impacts- When the aquatic plants die they expose many fish and shellfish to predators because they used the plants has shelter. Many crabs, shrimps, spider crabs, and other shellfish populations are depleted due to them being consumed by the exposure. The plants are also a food source for many species of juvenile fish. Solutions- Many sewage treatment plants are changing to their equipment to proper removal pipes. Farmers are now required to monitor their input of fertilizers, manure, and nutrients to help reduce nutrient runoff. The farmers also installed manure pits and streamside forest buffers.

7. How do scientists test for pollutant
How do scientists test for pollutant? Is there an acceptable limit of pollution?
Scientists test for nutrient pollutants (typically in the form of nitrate and phosphorous) through water quality tests. They find out the dissolved oxygen content, turbidity, total solids, pH levels, temperature and flow rate, nitrates, fecal coliform, biochemical oxygen demand, and phosphorous. When these nutrients are added to bodies of water in large concentrations (for example, through runoff after a storm), they can act like a fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae.
0.03 mg/L - the level in uncontaminated lakes
mg/L - level at which plant growth is stimulated
0.1 mg/L - maximum acceptable to avoid accelerated eutrophication
> 0.1 mg/L - accelerated growth and consequent problems

8. Laws related to pollutant:
The following criteria for total phosphorus were recommended by US EPA (1986):
1. no more than 0.1 mg/L for streams which do not empty into reservoirs,
2. no more than 0.05 mg/L for streams discharging into reservoirs, and
3. no more than mg/L for reservoirs.
In 1992, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted the 10 mg/L standard as the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate-nitrogen and 1 mg/L for nitrite-nitrogen for regulated public water systems.

9. Solutions:
There are many ways that agricultural operations can reduce nutrient pollution, including:
Watershed efforts: The collaboration of a wide range of people and organizations often across an entire watershed is vital to reducing nutrient pollution. State governments, farm organizations, conservation groups, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and community groups all play a part in successful efforts to improve water quality.
Nutrient management: Applying fertilizers in the proper amount, at the right time of year and with the right method can significantly reduce the potential for pollution.
Cover crops: Planting certain grasses, grains or clovers can help keep nutrients out of the water by recycling excess nitrogen and reducing soil erosion.
Buffers: Planting trees, shrubs and grass around fields, especially those that border water bodies, can help by absorbing or filtering out nutrients before they reach a water body.
Conservation tillage: Reducing how often fields are tilled reduces erosion and soil compaction, builds soil organic matter, and reduces runoff.
Managing livestock waste: Keeping animals and their waste out of streams, rivers and lakes keeps nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water and restores stream banks.
Drainage water management: Reducing nutrient loadings that drain from agricultural fields helps prevent degradation of the water in local streams and lakes.