|
|
What affects Water Quality in Florida?Industrial effluent, storm-water runoff, agricultural practices, septic tanks and sewage treatment all affect water quality in Florida. A number of areas of critical importance to manatees have degraded water quality. As water quality declines, the turbidity of the water often increases. Nutrient loading can cause algae, normally present in small amounts to "bloom" so that the water turns green. As the water becomes less transparent, less light is able to penetrate to the bottom. This in turn leads to the decline or destruction of aquatic plants. As the plants die they cause the buildup of dead decaying matter, or detritus, which in turn contributes still further to the decline of the water quality. Animals such as manatees that consume the aquatic plants must move to new habitats in search of food.
|
|||
|
||||
