Abstract

The non-point source pollution comes from agricultural runoff, which is a nutrient gift gone wrong. It is eutrophication that leads to massive die-offs of animals and plants in water bodies. This study focuses assessing the ecological quality of monitoring coastal waters by means of nutrient and toxic agrochemical analysis in relation to sediment loads from agriculture. Water samples were collected from several coastal areas, including harbors and industrial zones. Within the studied area, high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus are doubtless worsened by anaerobic decomposition triggering hypoxic zones. In addition, nutrient enrichment fosters algal blooms that contaminate water within the food webs leading to toxic consequences. The study also investigates the effects to critical marine species and their seahorse, including marine grasses, shellfishes, and coral reefs, pointing out the shifts in species composition, fecundity or reparative success, and death rates. This coastal area is under the immediate threat of changing patterns of unsustainable agricultural practices, reckless runoff control, and inadequate environmental policy. Thus, these areas are urgently in need of ecosystem-friendly regulation policies and domain-specific environmental legislation. Having this information available would enable well-informed decisions to be made regarding these policies while maintaining marine habitats for conservation.

Keywords: Agricultural runoff, Water quality, Coastal ecosystems, Marine species, Nutrient pollution, Ecosystem health, Environmental impact