Internal Phosphorus Loading in Lakes: Causes, Case Studies, and Management

Nutrient enrichment of lakes is a ubiquitous problem, impacting ecological and human health on a global scale by accelerating the pace of eutrophication, often resulting in algal blooms, depleted dissolved oxygen concentrations, and economic harm to surrounding communities. In many lakes, bed sediments are a major but unrecognized source of phosphorus to the water, a process known as internal phosphorus loading. Internal loading is notoriously difficult to measure and manage given the need ...