摘要: The ecological balance of the Chesapeake Bay is changing. Phytoplankton are abundant and growing faster than they can be consumed by other food chain organisms. Upon dying and settling to the bottom they become food for bacteria which then consume all available dissolved oxygen and produce hydrogen sulfide. Sessile bottom dwellers cannot survive while mobile forms are displaced from the habitat. The nitrogen and phosphorus which fuel this eutrophication are anthropogenic, coming from point sources such as sewage treatment facilities which release a nutrient-rich broth, as well as nonpoint sources like agricultural fertilizer. Management agencies differ regarding adequate control measures. Proponents of the upstream source hypothesis maintain that an effective nutrient control strategy would focus on controlling phytoplankton growth in upstream freshwater areas and reducing external sources of …