Environmental stress and plants in some ecosystems in the Netherlands as compared to 1950
The number of plant species fell by 50% between 1950 and 1990. Eutrophication and acidification are the main causes.
The number of plant species falls as a result of poor environmental quality
The number of plant species fell by 50% between 1950 and 1995 as a result of environmental stress. Deterioration in the quality of the environment is a major cause of the decline in plant species. The deposition of eutrophying and acidifying substances is the main factor in most ecosystems. Desiccation and hazardous substances (including heavy metals) contribute to a lesser extent.
The graph shows the decline of plant species in some ecosystems compared to 1950 as a result of environmental factors. It describes the combined effect of the environmental factors of desiccation and the deposition of acidifying compounds, eutrophying and hazardous substances (heavy metals).
For example: the graph shows that plants in forests have declined by 66%. In other words: environmental stress = 66%. Of this decline, 32% is caused by acidification, 14% by eutrophication, 15% by desiccation and 5% by poisoning with heavy metals.
Impact of eutrophying substances
The deposition and leaching of eutrophying substances (nitrogen, phosphorus) causes soils and waters previously low in nutrients to be enriched. A wide variety of species typically found in nutrient-poor conditions are consequently displaced by a number of species that thrive in a nutrient-rich environment (e.g. intrusion of grasses on heathlands). The other environmental stress factors lead to corresponding effects in similar way.
- See the 'overview of environmental themes and impact on nature', for an extensive discussion of the relationship between environmental considerations and the impact on nature.
