Among the well-known and distinct coastal body of water in North America is located in Brevard County, Florida. The Indian River Lagoon is situated near Hobe Sound, Eau Gallie River, Mosquito Lagoon, and Banana River. The economy of this county is highly dependent on the income obtained from the lagoon which is worth more than 2 billion dollars. There have been environmental issues that Brevard County is facing. What is causing the increase in mortality of the bottlenose dolphins and turtles?
There is a premise that the large concentration of phosphorous and nitrogen is causing the death of marine life in the Indian River Lagoon. The pollution caused by toxic substances is being carried to this lagoon by the stormwater that led to the development of chronic diseases of the dolphins and other marine creatures such as the fishes and turtles. These marine animals are getting fungal growths, brain lesions and stomach ulcers. Bearzi (2012) claimed that based on the observations of marine biologist named Edith Widder, a great "percentage of bottlenose dolphins were affected by lobomycosis, a mycotic infection also found in humans and by oral and genital tumors; many dolphins had pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, and disorders of the nervous system" (p. 140).
Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization, the Ocean River Institute had conducted an observation study on the dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon. Its founder, Dr. Rob Moir uttered that more than 40 dolphins are dying every year. The nitrogen and phosphorus derived from fertilizers are causing the increasing mortality rates of the marine life. The fertilizers are used in huge proportions by residence owners, lawn care professionals and workers at parks, when fertilizer is over-applied, and during rainstorms, dissolved nitrogen and phosphorous run off lawns and fields directly into the lagoon or into gutters, sewers and canals that lead to the lagoon" (Thomas 2012).
The nitrogen and phosphorus are carried to the waterways and lagoons. These chemicals served as food of the algae which causes the increase of these photosynthetic organisms. The overproduction of these diverse autotrophic organisms decreases the sunlight leading to ecological filth. The pollution of the lagoon led to the development of epidemic ailments of the marine animals.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency had concentrated on examining the amount of chemicals in the Indian River Lagoon. This lagoon receives about "475,000 pounds of phosphorus in a year, this is twice the phosphorus load that the ecosystem can sustain and three million pounds of nitrogen per year comes off the land" ("Save the Dolphins" ). The abovementioned agencies and biologist have made accurate and detailed observation studies which explain the death of marine life due to fertilizers.
a healthy nature