Is Eutrophication a Possibility for South Carolina Estuaries?
Chris Buzzelli, Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston
5 Sep 2008
Eutrophication is defined as an increase in the organic carbon content of a basin. Organic carbon can be externally provided through watershed run-off and/or internally generated through excess primary production. Eutrophication is linked to increased inputs of inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and mineral sediments. The estuaries of South Carolina (SC) are characterized by large, piedmont drainage rivers with high material loads leading to well developed barrier island chains. Between these ends are highly productive inter-tidal ecosystems that historically have been immune to symptoms of eutrophication such as phytoplankton blooms, reduced submarine light, and low dissolved oxygen. The SC estuaries are not unusual since the modulation of material inputs through physical flushing to maximize biological production is indicative of all estuaries. Thus, SC coastal basins should eventually reach their capacity to accommodate external loads as increased human population density and unchecked development offer modern possibilities for eutrophication.