The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005
| dc.contributor.author | de Villiersa, S | |
| dc.contributor.author | Thiart, C | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-03-28T11:16:10Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-03-28T11:16:10Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2016-01-18T11:01:55Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Eutrophication of river systems, resulting from nutrient enrichment, is globally considered to be one of the most serious threats to freshwater ecosystem services such as water quality and biodiversity. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the nutrient status of the 20 largest river catchments in South Africa, based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen (NO3 – + NO2 –) and phosphorus (PO43–) long-term water quality monitoring data collected by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Nutrient levels exceeding recommended water quality guidelines for plant life are observed in all of the rivers, except one. Additionally, dissolved-phosphorus levels exceeding recommended concentrations for aquatic animal life prevail episodically in all but 6 of the catchments. Alarmingly, statistically significant (P < 0.05) upward trends in dissolved PO43– levels are found in almost 60% of the rivers evaluated. The most likely cause of increasing nutrient enrichment is effluent from dysfunctional sewage works and unsewered human settlements. This poses a serious and costly threat to water quality and biodiversity. Nutrient fluxes associated with agricultural runoff, representing loss of soil fertility, translate into fertilizer-equivalent costs exceeding several hundred million rands annually | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | de Villiersa, S., & Thiart, C. (2007). The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005. <i>South African Journal of Science</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27732 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | de Villiersa, S, and C Thiart "The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005." <i>South African Journal of Science</i> (2007) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27732 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | de Villiersa, S., & Thiartb, C. (2007). The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005. South African Journal of Science, 103, 343. | |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Journal Article AU - de Villiersa, S AU - Thiart, C AB - Eutrophication of river systems, resulting from nutrient enrichment, is globally considered to be one of the most serious threats to freshwater ecosystem services such as water quality and biodiversity. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the nutrient status of the 20 largest river catchments in South Africa, based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen (NO3 – + NO2 –) and phosphorus (PO43–) long-term water quality monitoring data collected by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Nutrient levels exceeding recommended water quality guidelines for plant life are observed in all of the rivers, except one. Additionally, dissolved-phosphorus levels exceeding recommended concentrations for aquatic animal life prevail episodically in all but 6 of the catchments. Alarmingly, statistically significant (P < 0.05) upward trends in dissolved PO43– levels are found in almost 60% of the rivers evaluated. The most likely cause of increasing nutrient enrichment is effluent from dysfunctional sewage works and unsewered human settlements. This poses a serious and costly threat to water quality and biodiversity. Nutrient fluxes associated with agricultural runoff, representing loss of soil fertility, translate into fertilizer-equivalent costs exceeding several hundred million rands annually DA - 2007 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - South African Journal of Science LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2007 T1 - The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005 TI - The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27732 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27732 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | de Villiersa S, Thiart C. The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005. South African Journal of Science. 2007; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27732. | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Statistical Sciences | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Science | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.source | South African Journal of Science | |
| dc.source.uri | https://www.sajs.co.za/ | |
| dc.title | The nutrient status of South African rivers: concentrations, trends and fluxes from the 1970s to 2005 | |
| dc.type | Journal Article | |
| uct.type.filetype | Text | |
| uct.type.filetype | Image |