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ReefLink Database

Nutrients

Nutrients

Nutrients are essential elements needed by plants and animals for growth and primarily include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as minor nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, or zinc.

CMap

The Agriculture Sector includes both animal and crop production. Algae are aquatic, photosynthetic plant-like organisms and include calcareous macroalgae, fleshy macroalgae, turf algae, and crustose coralline algae. Anemones & zooanthids are cnidarians very similar to coral, but are not characteristic reef builders. Applied chemicals are chemicals applied to lands, vehicles, buildings, or during manufacturing for a variety of purposes, including maintaining pests, improving soil quality, or cleaning surfaces. The Aquaculture sector is involved in the raising and production of aquatic animals and plants in controlled environments. Atmospheric Emissions include discharges of atmospheric pollutants, including mercury, greenhouse gases, nitrogen and sulfur dioxides, and volatile organic compounds from the operation of factories, vehicles, and other sources. Biological Addition refers to anthropogenic inputs of a biological nature into the reef ecosystem, including artificial habitat, domestic animal waste, supplemental feeding, and escape or release of non-native species. Contact Uses, such as biological additions, physical damage, and biological harvesting, are activities in which humans create pressures through direct contact with the ecosystem. Coral is a colonial marine animal consisting of polyps. Cultural services are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreational opportunities, aesthetic experiences, sense of place, and educational and research opportunities. Culture sectors contribute to the social, emotional, and intellectual well-being of the community. Discharge limitations are responses to regulate and control the discharge of pollutants and the use of chemicals. Discharges are the intentional or unintentional distribution of chemicals, debris, or other pollution, into the environment as a consequence of human activities. Ecosystem monitoring and restoration refers to responses to directly alter the condition of the reef ecosystem through restoration or remediation activities, setting limits on degradation through biological criteria or water quality criteria, or improving knowledge through monitoring, mapping, and scientific research. Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems . Fertilizer & pesticide use is the application of chemicals designed to improve the nutrient quality of soil to promote plant growth, or to control weeds and pest species. Fish are cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates that breathe through gills and usually have scales. Food & energy policies are legislation, restrictions, and guidelines that pertain to sectors that harvest or extract natural resources. The Food and Raw Materials sector includes groups that harvest natural resources from the earth, including agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and the oil and gas industry. Infrastructural sectors provide the physical, organizational, and technical support for the economy to function, including construction, utilities, transportation, finance, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and technical services. An Invertebrate is any animal that lacks a backbone. Household and Landscaping Services are subsectors that provide for the maintenance of homes, buildings, and urban landscapes. Light is the level of visible and ultraviolet solar radiation that penetrates the water column. Industries in the Manufacturing and Trade subsector produce and sell food, beverage, tobacco, wood, plastics, chemical products, metals, electronics, and machinery products, in both wholesale and retail trade. Marine vertebrates are aquatic animals with a backbone, such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins and marine birds. Nutrient and contaminant processing refers to an ecosystem's ability to process and cycle contaminants and nutrients through its system. Nutrients are essential elements needed by plants and animals for growth and primarily include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as minor nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, or zinc. The Reef Ecosystem includes a suite of abiotic variables that form the physical and chemical environment. Plankton are any plants or animals that are too small to actively move against ocean currents. Pressures are human activities that create stress on the environment. Provisioning services are the products or ecosystem goods obtained from ecosystems, including seafood, genetic and biochemical resources, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources, and water resources. The state of the Reef Ecosystem is the condition, in terms of quantity and quality, of the abiotic and biotic components including physical, chemical, and biological variables. Reef Habitat is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the benthic components of the reef ecosystem. Reef Inhabitants are all of the motile components of the reef ecosystem, including fish, invertebrates, marine reptiles and mammals, and are quantified by their abundance, distribution, and condition. Reef Life is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the biological components of the coral reef ecosystem. Regulating Services are benefits obtained from ecosystem processes that regulate the environment, including erosion regulation, natural hazard regulation, and climate regulation. Responses are actions taken by groups or individuals in society and government to prevent, compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in Ecosystem Services or their perceived value. Seawater flow reflects circulation patterns, currents, and wave action that move water throughout the ocean and towards the coastline. Shelter includes sectors that provide for the comfort and protection of humans in relation to their living spaces. Socio-Economic Drivers include the sectors that fulfill human needs for Food & Raw Materials, Water, Shelter, Health, Culture, and Security, and the Infrastructure that supports the sectors. Sponges are sessile colonial animals with soft porous bodies supported by a fibrous skeletal framework. Supporting services are ecological processes that indirectly benefit humans by maintaining a functional ecosystem for the production of other ecosystem goods and services. Tourism & Recreation sectors operate facilities and provide services for the varied cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests of residents and tourists. Tunicates, or Wastewater Discharges are direct discharges of wastewater, including nutrients and chemicals, into streams, rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. Waterborne discharges include direct and indirect discharges of pollutants into the aquatic environment, including chemicals, nutrients, sediment, and pathogens. A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with moisture either permanently or seasonally.

CMap Description

Excess nutrients can impact availability of light, affect the growth rates of reef species, and may also alter competitive interactions among algae and coral. Nutrients enter coastal waters from wastewater discharges and from non-point source runoff of fertilizers or animal waste from cities, agriculture, aquaculture, or landscaping activities. Nutrient and contaminant processing by sponges and wetlands can improve water quality. Wetlands also provide nutrients to reefs through the transport of materials, through fish or water movement between the ecosystems. Changes in reef condition can impact the availability of ecosystem services. Many of the same socio-economic sectors that create excess nutrients benefit indirectly from reef goods and services including fishing and recreational opportunities that contribute to the cultural identity of the local community. Monitoring and scientific research can be used to track nutrient levels, and to better understand the consequences for reef life. Agricultural practices and educational outreach can be implemented to reduce the over application of fertilizers. Point and non-point source controls can be implemented to reduce the intensity and frequency of nutrient loading. Ordinances can be adopted to mandate clean-up of pet or feral animal waste in cities.

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