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Riverine Inputs of Nutrients to the Baltic Sea

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A Systems Analysis of the Baltic Sea

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 148))

Abstract

Rivers play a crucial role in the total input of nutrients to the Baltic Sea. Several studies have indicated that nutrient delivery along this route may exceed the combined contribution from atmospheric deposition on the sea, point emissions along the coast, and nitrogen fixation by marine organisms (Larsson et al. 1985; Rosenberg et al. 1990; HELCOM 1993; Enell and Fejes 1995; Stålnacke et al. 1999a). There are also strong indications that the riverine loads of nutrients have increased dramatically over the past century (Larsson et al. 1985). However, data regarding the historical development of nutrient loading of the Baltic Sea are uncertain, and even loading during the past few years has been a matter of controversy. According to the second pollution load compilation undertaken by HELCOM (1993), rivers were responsible for an annual input of 550,000 tons of nitrogen, whereas Enell and Fejes (1995) estimated that this route, including some point emissions along the coast, contributed about 980,000 tons year−1.

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Authors
  1. A. Grimvall
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  2. P. Stålnacke
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Ecology, University of Stockholm, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden

    Fredrik V. Wulff

  2. Department of Water and Environmental Studies, Linköping University, 58183, Linköping, Sweden

    Lars A. Rahm

  3. Ecotoxicology, Department of Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362, Lund, Sweden

    Per Larsson

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Grimvall, A., Stålnacke, P. (2001). Riverine Inputs of Nutrients to the Baltic Sea. In: Wulff, F.V., Rahm, L.A., Larsson, P. (eds) A Systems Analysis of the Baltic Sea. Ecological Studies, vol 148. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04453-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04453-7_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08727-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-04453-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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