Influence of Eutrophication on the Distribution of Phytobenthic Plant and Animal Communities

A short review of effects of eutrophication on the phytobenthic communities in the Baltic Sea is given. Future monitoring aspects are briefly discussed. Local changes in phytobenthic communities outside point sources (e.g. industry outlets, enclosed bays receiving effluents from land runoff etc.) are easily detected and can be due to nutrient enrichment and/or toxic substances. In recent decades, changes have been reported from apparently unaffected areas. The disappearance of Fucus vesiculosus is the most conspicuous. The cause of events is similar in those areas: increases in epiphytes give increases in grazer populations. The thallus of algae is heavily grazed upon. The epiphytes shade their host and filamentous algae compete for space, disturbing recruitment and leading to a decrease in diversity. The rapid response of opportunistic filamentous algae on nutrient enrichment and changing herbivore pressure can easily be observed. Therefore, repeated surveillance in defined areas, which integrates the environmental response in both animal and plant communities, may be a fruitful approach for detecting large scale eutrophication of the Baltic Sea.