Abstract
The largest permanent saltwater lagoon in Europe, situated in the south-east of Spain, has been experiencing spells where seabed vegetation, fish and crustations die because of extreme eutrophication, where an excess of nutrients boosts growth of algae and plants, removing oxygen from the water and blocking light. A legacy of mining and a huge expansion in tourism have contributed to the destruction, but it was a switch from traditional agriculture to intensive farming methods in the surrounding catchment area that has caused the most damage. For decades, run-off from the farming land rich in nitrates has entered the lagoon. To irrigate the whole area, farmers built wells and installed hundreds of desalination plants to turn the brackish groundwater of the aquifer into water suitable for irrigation. The brine this produces is full of nitrates and has been reaching the Mar Menor for decades. The article looks where does the responsibility for the disaster lies, and at potential restoration solutions to the problem, including the combined use of denitrifying bioreactors and manmade wetlands.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
