Can it be claimed that higher nutrient levels reduce biodiversity?
Species at the top of the food chain–walleye, yellow perch, salmon, and trout–are good indicators of the health of the whole ecosystem. An optimum level of nutrients is as important for biodiversity as for productivity. Defining the specific optimum for a watershed calls for cooperation among all end users. Nurturing biodiversity while nourishing the global population is a continuing challenge for agriculture, but people who care for both will spare no effort in applying the best science to the management of nutrients.
