10.18453/rosdok_id00001090 Korth, Frederike Frederike Korth http://d-nb.info/gnd/1029410097 Universität Rostock 2012 570 Life science 2012 en http://purl.uni-rostock.de/rosdok/id00001090 urn:nbn:de:gbv:28-diss2013-0003-7 The depletion of dissolved oxygen in bottom waters and the expansion of harmful algae blooms are most common responses of aquatic ecosystems to eutrophication, and thus also of the semi-enclosed, brackish Baltic Sea. To improve management and focus on strategies to reduce nutrient loads a better understanding of coastal system dynamics is highly needed. Overall, it was shown that it seems necessary to reevaluate the role of sediments for the nitrogen turnover and its nitrogen removal capacity and to consider dissolved organic substances as potential nutrient sources.