When it comes to plant growth, Liebig's Law of the Minimum states that the nutrient in least supply relative to the plant's requirement will limit its growth. This is not only true in terrestrial systems, but it provides the foundation of our understanding of nutrient enrichment in aquatic ecosystems as well.
Phosphorus (P) has long been considered the limiting nutrient in surface water ecosystems. This means that the availability of this nutrient controls the pace at which aquatic plants and algae can grow. In natural, undisturbed aquatic systems, phosphorus normally exists in small quantities. Anthropogenic pollution (pollution caused by human activity, such as agricultural practices, urban stormwater systems, discharges from sewage systems, etc.) has led to increases of P in aquatic systems with undesirable results. Too much phosphorus can lead to increased growth of aquatic plants, algae blooms, decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, and fish kills.
According to the 2022 South Dakota Integrated Report for Surface Water Quality Assessment, excessive nutrients in runoff has been, and continues to be, the major water quality issue in South Dakota. Nonpoint source runoff and internal phosphorus cycling continues to negatively impact our surface waters in the state and has led to algae blooms in many of our lakes and reservoirs.
Categories: South Dakota, General