In 1974, John R. Vallentyne predicted that by the year 2000 we would be living in an environmental disaster he called the Algal Bowl. Just as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was created by misusing western farmland, he forecast that the continuing misuse of lakes could only lead to water degradation. In the first edition of The Algal Bowl: Lakes and Man, he explained how the biology of lakes is changed by an overload of nutrients - a process known as eutrophication. Vallentyne demonstrated that human activity was the primary cause of eutrophication and therefore responsible for the explosive growth of algae. His efforts helped move policy makers in North America to action regarding the dangers of phosphates in fresh water. Witnessing the escalation of eutrophication, Vallentyne invited his colleague, David W. Schindler, to substantially revise this ground-breaking book. Along with updates to the scientific data, Schindler added five chapters of new research, including the effect of eutrophication on ocean estuaries. Two of North America's leading water scientists joined forces to explain the science and strategies that are essential to understanding and protecting whole water systems from eutrophication and massive algae blooms. Scientists, opinion leaders, policy makers, and concerned citizens will find this fully revised and expanded second edition an unambiguous diagnosis and prescription for change.

In 1974, John R. Vallentyne predicted that by the year 2000 we would be living in an environmental disaster he called the Algal Bowl. Just as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was created by misusing western farmland, he forecast that the continuing miuse of lakes could only lead to water degradation. In the first edition of The Algal Bowl: Lakes and Man, he explained how the biology of lakes is changed by an overload of nutrients - a process known as eutrophication. Vallentyne demonstrated that human activity was the primary cause of eutrophicationand therefore responsible for the explosive growth of algae. His efforts helped move policy makers in North America to action regarding the dangers of phosphates in fresh water. Witnessing the escalation of eutrophication, Vallentyne invited his colleague, David W. Schindler, to substantially revise this groundbreaking book. Along with updates to the scientific data, Schindler added five chapters of new research, including the effect of eutrophication on ocean estuaries. Two of North America's leading water scientists joined forces to explain the science and strategies that are essential to understanding and protecting whole water systems from eutrophication and massive algae blooms. Scientists, opinion leaders, policy makers, and concerned citizens will find this fully revised and expanded second edition an unambiguous diagnosis and prescription for change.

The greatest threat to water quality worldwide is nutrient pollution. Cultural eutrophication by nutrients in sewage, fertilizers, and detergents is feeding massive algal blooms, choking out aquatic life and outpacing heavy metals, oil spills, and other toxins in the devastation wrought upon the world's fresh waters. Renowned water scientists, David W. Schindler and John R. Vallentyne, share their combined 80 years of experience with the eutrophication problem to explain its history and science, and offer real-world solutions for mitigating this catastrophe in the making. For those who have lost sight of Vallentyne's 1974 first edition, Schindler's fully revised and expanded edition is an unambiguous road map for change.