Feedback between climate change and eutrophication: revisiting the allied attack concept and how to strike back

Abstract

Despite its well-established negative impacts on society and biodiversity, eutrophication continues to be one of the most pervasive anthropogenic influence along the freshwater to marine continuum. The interaction between eutrophication and climate change, particularly climate warming, was explicitly focused upon a decade ago in the paper by Moss et al. (2011), which called for an integrated response to both problems, given their apparent synergy. In this review, we summarise advances in the theoretical framework and empirical research on this issue and analyse the current understanding of the major drivers and mechanisms by which climate change can enhance eutophication, and vice versa, with a particular focus on shallow lakes.Climate change can affect nutrient loading, through changes at the catchment and landscape levels by affecting hydrological patterns and fire frequency, and through temperature effects on nutrient cycling. Biotic communities and their interactions can also be directly and indirectly affected by climate change, leading to an overall weakening of resilience to eutrophication impacts. Increasing empirical evidence now indicates several mechanisms by which eutrophying aquatic systems can increasingly act as important sources of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, particularly methane. We also highlight potential feedbacks between eutrophication, cyanobacterial blooms, and climate change.Facing both challenges at the same time is more pressing than ever. Meaningful and strong measures at the landscape and water body levels are therefore required if we are to ensure ecosystem resilience and safe water supply, conserving biodiversity, and decreasing the carbon footprint of freshwaters.

Rise of toxic cyanobacterial blooms is promoted by agricultural intensification in the basin of a large subtropical river of South America

“…In general terms, temperature, precipitation and river flow modulate ecosystem's eutrophication (Meerhoff et al, 2022; Salk et al, 2022). In this study, these variables did not present a significant contribution to explain major historical changes in cyanobacterial abundance in the Uruguay river.…”

“…In general terms, temperature, precipitation and river flow modulate ecosystem's eutrophication (Meerhoff et al, 2022;Salk et al, 2022).…”

“…Changes in precipitation modify water residence time and geographical distribution of cyanobacterial blooms (Kruk, Martínez, et al, 2021; Kruk, Piccini, et al, 2021; Massey et al, 2020). Moreover, the replacement of natural land cover with crops and the modification of trophic food webs accelerates the effects of eutrophication and climate change (Alcántara et al, 2022; Meerhoff et al, 2022). Thus, understanding the importance of individual drivers and potential synergies among them are both relevant to provide management actions to stakeholders at different levels (Alcántara et al, 2022; Fang et al, 2022; Kosten et al, 2012).…”

CO2e footprint and eco‐impact of ultralow phosphorus removal by hydrous ferric oxide reactive filtration: A municipal wastewater LCA case study

“…Increased temperatures accelerate algal growth, favoring harmful species such as cyanobacteria (Glibert, 2020). As warming speeds up internal nutrient release in lakes and diminishes the resilience of biotic communities to eutrophication, eutrophic aquatic systems become significant sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere (Meerhoff et al, 2022).…”

“…There is an increased understanding of a climate change ↔ eutrophication feedback loop (Meerhoff et al, 2022), and this evidence heightens the need for nutrient removal water treatment technologies that have minimal CO 2 equivalent footprints (CO 2 e; global warming potential [GWP]) to interrupt this feedback (Beaulieu et al, 2019; OECD, 2013). Studies on the interrelations of climate change and nutrients show that phosphorus release to surface waters will increase due to overall increased precipitation and soil erosion caused by extreme rainfall or snowmelt events (Liu et al, 2020; Ockenden et al, 2017).…”