Aren “nutrients” a good thing?
Nutrients are essential to make things grow, but like anything else, too much of a good thing can be harmful in our waterways. A moderate amount of nutrients support the growth of diatoms and other algae, as well as other plant materials which provide the basic food upon which other aquatic creatures feed. However, excess nutrients result in water pollution, algal blooms and overgrowth of aquatic plants. This condition is called “eutrophication.” Bogs are a specialized type of wetland which have very low nutrient inputs, and the bog ecosystem has developed specialized adaptations to obtain nutrients in unusual ways. One example is insect-eating plants, such as sundews and pitcher plants. Increasing nutrients in bogs can vastly change the ecology of these rare, sensitive and interesting wetlands.
