Water Pollution & Plants

Water is one of Earth's most important and essential resources. Water pollution is detrimental not only to the human population, but also the plant population that helps to sustain the ecosystem.

Causes

• Sewage and fertilizer runoff is a big cause of water pollution. Fertilizers contain nutrients that can overstimulate underwater plants, according to David Krantz and Brad Kifferstein of the University of Michigan. The overstimulated plants lead to clogged waterways.

Considerations

• There are other major pollutants that contaminate our water ways. These include petroleum, radioactive waste and heat. Petroleum and radioactive waste can kill underwater plants instantly. Heat is a pollutant because over time the rising temperatures of the water will not provide a sustainable environment for underwater life.

Features

• Water pollution disrupts photosynthesis in underwater plants, which prevents the plants from growing and reproducing. This ultimately disrupts the ecosystem that these plants support, which has negative consequences for all underwater life.

Reefs

• Reefs play a major role in sustaining the ecosystem of the oceans, and also help to control the ocean's energy so it does not cause excess erosion. Reefs also provide housing for millions of types of underwater plants and animals. Water pollution, such as excess sodium chloride, causes reefs to die and decay.

Oxygen

• Like plants on land, underwater plants need oxygen to survive. Water pollution drains water of its oxygen supply, which in turn suffocates the plant and animal life.