Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas

The document analyzes the widespread eutrophication of Uruguay's aquatic ecosystems, identifying agricultural intensification as the primary driver of nutrient pollution, particularly phosphorus. It details how climate change exacerbates these symptoms and describes the public health risks posed by toxic cyanobacterial blooms, such as those from the Microcystis aeruginosa complex. The authors argue that current soil conservation practices, like no-till farming, may inadvertently increase soluble phosphorus runoff. They recommend a transition toward neutral or negative phosphorus balances, the use of catch crops, and a shift from a centralized to a decentralized, multi-actor water governance model to effectively mitigate the crisis.

• Agricultural and livestock production is the primary source of nutrient pollution in Uruguay's aquatic ecosystems, with an estimated 65% of the land area undergoing agricultural-livestock intensification between 2000 and 2017.
• Phosphorus (P) is identified as the most relevant nutrient for the current eutrophication situation in Uruguay and the wider Río de la Plata region.
• Many Uruguayan aquatic ecosystems exceed the national regulatory limit of 25 µg P L-1 for total phosphorus; for example, Laguna del Sauce has recorded 80-100 µg.L-1 and Laguna del Cisne has not fallen below 275 µg.L-1 since 2000.
• Climate change is expected to worsen eutrophication by increasing surface runoff and total phosphorus loads—potentially by up to 30% in winter by 2050—and by promoting thermal stratification that favors cyanobacteria.
• Toxic cyanobacterial blooms, particularly the Microcystis aeruginosa complex (CMA), are frequent in Uruguay's freshwater and coastal environments, posing severe public health risks including liver failure.
• Conventional soil conservation practices, specifically no-till farming (siembra directa) adopted since 1999, have led to vertical stratification of labile phosphorus in the top 15 cm of soil, increasing soluble phosphorus losses via surface runoff.
• To reduce phosphorus export, the authors recommend adjusting fertilizer doses, incorporating phosphate below the top 3 cm of soil, using occasional moldboard plowing to break stratification, and employing 'catch crops' to extract labile phosphorus.
• Uruguay's water monitoring systems are insufficient, lacking long-term data, comprehensive integration of water quality and quantity, and reference ecosystems, relying too heavily on physicochemical properties rather than bioindicators.
• The document argues for a transition from a centralized 'command-control' water governance model toward a decentralized, multi-actor system to better address eutrophication.

APA

Goyenola, G., Kruk, C., Mazzeo, N., Nario, A., Perdomo, C., Piccini, C., & Meerhoff, M. (2021). Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://iai.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Produccion-nutrientes-eutrofizacion-y-cianobacterias-en-Uruguay-armando-el-rompecabezas.pdf

Chicago

Goyenola, Guillermo, Carla Kruk, Néstor Mazzeo, Alejandro Nario, Carlos Perdomo, Claudia Piccini, and Mariana Meerhoff. Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, 2021. https://iai.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Produccion-nutrientes-eutrofizacion-y-cianobacterias-en-Uruguay-armando-el-rompecabezas.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Goyenola |first1=Guillermo |last2=Kruk |first2=Carla |last3=Mazzeo |first3=Néstor |last4=Nario |first4=Alejandro |last5=Perdomo |first5=Carlos |last6=Piccini |first6=Claudia |last7=Meerhoff |first7=Mariana |title=Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas |publisher=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |date=2021 |url=https://iai.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Produccion-nutrientes-eutrofizacion-y-cianobacterias-en-Uruguay-armando-el-rompecabezas.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{goyenola2021produccin, author = {Goyenola, Guillermo and Kruk, Carla and Mazzeo, Néstor and Nario, Alejandro and Perdomo, Carlos and Piccini, Claudia and Meerhoff, Mariana}, title = {{Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2021}, url = {https://iai.int/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Produccion-nutrientes-eutrofizacion-y-cianobacterias-en-Uruguay-armando-el-rompecabezas.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }