presentation for project

1. Problems of Baltic sea
Lasnamae Gymnasium, Estonia
2012

2.  The health of the Baltic Sea has been seriously
damaged since the 1960s due to excessive
pollution from the countries in its catchment
area. The pollution, such as untreated human
waste, toxic materials, and metal (e.g. lead), have
resulted in stratification of the Baltic Sea.
 http://www1.american.edu/TED/baltic.htm

3.  The main problem areas in the Baltic Sea are:
eutrophication caused by increasing nutrient
loads, bioaccumulation of harmful substances,
increased maritime transport and a subsequent
risk of more chemical or oil spills, and the
spreading of invasive (i.e. alien) species.

4. Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea
 The availability of nutrients, mainly nitrogen and
phosphorus, is one of the primary factors
limiting the growth of aquatic plants and algae.
When excess nutrients end up in a water body
the abundance and species composition of algae
and aquatic plants changes. This is called
eutrophication.

5. Total nutrient load into the Baltic Sea
1994-2003

6. The Gulf of Finland suffers from the highest
nutrient levels in the Baltic Sea, even though the
nutrient load was decreased by 40 per cent
during the 1990s. The decrease was the result of
successful load reductions in Estonia and the
recession that followed the structural changes in
the Russian economy.

7. Harmful substances in the Baltic Sea
 The high population in the countries around the
Baltic Sea and activities such as agriculture and
industry result in heavy loading of harmful
substances into the Baltic. Because of the long
residence time of the water and unfavourable
conditions for decomposition, like the cold
climate and the winter ice cover, harmful
compounds tend to accumulate in the flora and
fauna.

8. Maritime transport on the Baltic Sea
 The passenger ferry traffic from Helsinki to
Tallinn has increased substantially. This
passenger traffic crosses the Gulf of Finland's
main transportation route. In 2007, over
5.8 million passengers travelled to Tallinn,
Estonia, via the port of Helsinki. The Baltic Sea
countries have agreed on measures to improve
maritime safety, and thus the number of
accidents has not risen.

9.  http://www.ymparisto.fi/default.asp?
node=18328&lan=en