Nancy Grimm

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Nancy Grimm

Designer ecosystems have unintended consequences

Monday, 8 September 2008

The desert city of Phoenix depends on an extensive canal system to bring water to farms and homes. But artificial lakes and canal systems along with extensive groundwater pumping have had unintended effects on the ecosystem, scientists say. --by Margaret Coulombe

Streams play key role in protecting coastal zones

Monday, 17 March 2008

Nitrogen pollution from agricultural and urban runoff is a serious threat to ocean ecosystems. Nitrogen, in the form of nitrates, could generate algal blooms, create oceanic "dead zones" and kill coral, fish and shellfish in coastal zones. Researchers have discovered that small organisms in streams and rivers can filter out excess nitrogen before it reaches the oceans. However, overloading streams with too many nitrates reduces their filtering ability. --by Margaret Coulombe

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