Changing perspectives on the importance of urban phosphorus inputs as the cause of nutrient enrichment in Lough Neagh

The past and future of phytoplankton in the UK's largest lake, Lough Neagh

“…Due to the resources required to further reduce catchment export of nutrients, it is useful to understand how the future trajectory of phytoplankton change may develop in the lake. Diffuse pollution from agriculture in the Neagh catchment has been difficult to ameliorate mainly due to agricultural intensification and a high proportion of land in the catchment used for farming (Bunting et al, 2007;Foy et al, 2003). Sixty-six percent of the catchment is currently under agricultural use, the majority for grassland grazing.…”

“…Hydraulic residence time is approximately 1.2 years (Foy et al, 2003), mean and maximum depth are 8.9 m and 34 m respectively. Six inflowing rivers drain 88% of the 4,453 km 2 catchment.…”

The Role of Palaeolimnology in Implementing the Water Framework Directive in Ireland

“…Eutrophication pressures are likely to be increased as a result of changes in rainfall patterns and ambient temperatures associated with global warming (Marshall and Randhir 2008). Excess P is the primary cause of increased nutrient inputs, with these inputs being commonly attributed to discharges of municipal and industrial waste (Smith et al 1999;Foy et al 2003) and to agricultural intensifi cation, with diffuse agricultural sources often being the main contributor (Lucey et al 1999;Jennings et al 2003;Smith et al 2005).…”

“…Productivity of the lake increased rapidly during the late nineteenth century but fell back during the early twentieth century before increasing once more post-1950, reaching a peak at 68µg TP l −1 in 1997. Eutrophication appears to have occurred earlier at Crans Lough than at other lakes in Northern Ireland: eutrophication commenced in the late nineteenth century at Heron (Anderson 1997) and Neagh (Battarbee 1978;Foy et al 2003) and at the beginning of the twentieth century at Upper Lough Erne (Battarbee 1986). The results from a single sub-region illustrate the variations in the onset of anthropogenic impacts and in the timing of ecosystem responses, and therefore the diffi culties in extrapolating for lake types and across entire ecoregions.…”

Assessment of a novel development policy for the control of phosphorus losses from private sewage systems to the Loch Leven catchment, Scotland, UK

“…Limited evidence of PSS impacts on waterbody P (May et al, 2010). The impact of PSS on 92 P concentrations in receiving waters is expected to increase in rural catchments 93 under low-flow conditions when dilution levels are reduced (Foy et al, 2003;May et 94 al., 2010;Macintosh et al, 2011 Loch Leven has a long and well-documented history of nutrient pollution, catchment 148 management and recovery Spears, 2012a, 2012b;May et al, 2012).…”