title: Combined ecological risks of nitrogen and phosphorus in European freshwaters.
abstract: Eutrophication is a key water quality issue triggered by increasing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) levels and potentially posing risks to freshwater biota. We predicted the probability that an invertebrate species within a community assemblage becomes absent due to nutrient stress as the ecological risk (ER) for European lakes and streams subjected to N and P pollution from 1985 to 2011. The ER was calculated as a function of species-specific tolerances to NO3(-) and total P concentrations and water quality monitoring data. Lake and stream ER averaged 50% in the last monitored year (i.e. 2011) and we observed a decrease by 22% and 38% in lake and stream ER (respectively) of river basins since 1985. Additionally, the ER from N stress surpassed that of P in both freshwater systems. The ER can be applied to identify river basins most subjected to eutrophication risks and the main drivers of impacts.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University of Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Ecosystem Services and Management Program, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria. Electronic address: azevedol@iiasa.ac.at.
authors.forename: Ligia B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Radboud University of Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Zelm
authors.affiliation: Radboud University of Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob S E W
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Leuven
authors.affiliation: Radboud University of Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A Jan
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hendriks
authors.affiliation: Radboud University of Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Environmental Science, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mark A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huijbregts
mesh_terms: D004463:Ecology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D005068:Eutrophication; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Ecological risk; Lake; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; River basin; Stream