By Brianna Betterson
The Long Island Sound
The Long Island Sound is a popular location for recreational activities such as beachgoing (Source: https://longislandsoundstudy.net/about-the-sound/what-makes-it-special/)
The Long Island Sound is an estuary known for its beautiful marine ecosystems. Lying between Long Island and Connecticut with a 600 mile coastline, the LIS is home to 1,200 species of invertebrates, 170 species of fish, and many migratory birds (Connecticut Audubon). However, in recent decades, the sound has been experiencing significant eutrophication due to anthropogenic influences, disrupting the balance and biodiversity of these ecosystems.
What is Eutrophication?
Eutrophication is the process by which a body of water becomes enriched with nutrients. Although eutrophication itself is a natural process, anthropogenic activities have greatly amplified this. When nutrient enrichment becomes excessive, it can result in the formation of harmful algal blooms and hypoxic conditions, both of which negatively impact an ecosystem’s flora and fauna. Major causes of eutrophication include aquaculture, wastewater treatment facilities, septic systems, and agricultural runoff (Long Island Sound Study, 2023).
This diagram describes the causes and effects of the eutrophication process. (Source: https://earthhow.com/eutrophication-causes-process-examples/)
Causes of Eutrophication in the LIS
A contributing factor to eutrophication in the LIS is the use of nitrogen fertilizers. The discharge of wastewater into the sound plays a role in this as well. Another major contributor to anthropogenic eutrophication is aquaculture, particularly fish farming. Although the industry is relied upon for income generation in the area, it may be doing more harm than good. Aquaculture ponds are generally high in nitrogen and phosphorus due to fish feeding, contributing to the overload of nutrients (Chislock et al., 2013).
How Has This Impacted the LIS?
Eutrophication in the LIS has resulted in blooms of excess seaweed and phytoplankton, contributing to the formation of dead zones. These stressors have not only led to biodiversity loss, but have also resulted in marshland loss. This is problematic as marshes act as barriers to protect coastal communities from flooding and storms (Vaudrey, 2017). The impacts of eutrophication on the sound’s water quality can disrupt economic activities as well. The sound’s transportation, aquaculture, and recreational activities bring in an estimated $9.4 billion to the regional economy annually (Connecticut Audubon).
What We Can Do
The Environmental Protection Agency and the states of Connecticut and New York have agreed upon a 2000 dissolved oxygen total maximum daily load (TMDL) into the LIS. This cap accounts for both household and commercial nitrogen loads. It has allowed the amount of daily nitrogen loading to decrease annually, and has gradually restored areas of hypoxia throughout the sound (New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, 2023). According to Nassau County Local Law No. 11, the application of fertilizers is prohibited between November 15th and April 1st (Nassau County Fertilizer Law, 2009). Acceptable alternatives to fertilizers include the use of compost, compost teas, and agricultural liming materials. Our continued adherence to TMDL caps and fertilizer laws will allow the quality of the sound to continue to improve.
To reduce the amount of wastewater discharge, we could make our homes more water-efficient by installing low flow showerheads and faucets, and utilizing graywater (wash water left over from sinks, laundry tubs, and baths) for gardening and landscaping. A shift in the type of aquaculture that is done in the sound could be beneficial as well. Bivalve shellfish aid in nutrient management through their ability to filter nutrients, suspended sediment, and chlorophyll from the water (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science). This shift would mean reducing the amount of fish farms in operation and instead incorporating more bivalve shellfish aquaculture. Lastly, to improve the quality of the LIS, members of the community can volunteer their time with organizations like Save the Sound, SoundWaters, and Operation Splash to alleviate the sound of some of its ecological issues by participating in cleanups, educational events, and fundraisers.
Operation Splash volunteer workforce members and debris collected by the team from the waterways (Source: https://www.operationsplash.com/volunteer-workforce/)
Works Cited
About Long Island Sound. Audubon.https://ct.audubon.org/schoolyard2sound-2018/about-long-island-sound#:~:text=Long%20Island%20Sound%20is%20home,other%20estuary%20in%20the%20country.
Aquaculture and Eutrophication in Long Island Sound and Great Bay – Piscataqua Estuary. National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/aquaculture-eutrophication-long-island-sound/#:~:text=Eutrophication%20is%20among%20the%20most,and%20wastewater%20treatment%20plant%20discharges.
Chislock, M. F., Doster, E., Zitomer, R. A., Wilson, A. E. (2013). Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences, and Controls in Aquatic Ecosystems. Nature Education Knowledge 4(4):10 https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/eutrophication-causes-consequences-and-controls-in-aquatic-102364466/
Hancock, Elaina. (2020). Understanding Long Island Sound’s ‘Dead Zones’. UConn Today.https://today.uconn.edu/2020/02/understanding-long-island-sounds-dead-zones/#
Long Island Sound Water Quality Improving in Response to Significant Reductions in Nitrogen Pollution. (2021). Environmental Protection Agency.https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/long-island-sound-water-quality-improving-response-significant-reductions-nitrogen-0
Nassau County Fertilizer Law. (2009).https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3178/2009-local-laws-11?bidId=
Nitrogen Loading. Long Island Sound Study.https://longislandsoundstudy.net/ecosystem-target-indicators/nitrogen-loading/
Nitrogen Pollution in Long Island Sound. New England Interstate Water Pollution Control.https://neiwpcc.org/our-programs/pollution-control/lis-tmdl/
Vaudrey, Jamie. (2017). New York City’s Impact on Long Island Sound Water Quality Technical Report. Department of Marine Sciences.https://vaudrey.lab.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1663/2018/07/2017-11-16-Vaudrey-NYC-N.pdf