§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in research terms, are the main priority areas being tackled by Her Majesty's Government to improve knowledge of aquatic ecosystems.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe priority areas of research being tackled by my Department to improve knowledge of aquatic ecosystems are:
- 1. Effects of pollutants in water.
- 2. Sediment processes and heavy metals in estuaries.
- 3. Disposal of sewage sludge to sea and its effects.
- 4. Nitrate processes in water.
- 5. Eutrophication processes.
- 6. The role of acid deposition in freshwater quality.
I understand that the Agriculture Departments' research priority areas in this field are:
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- 1. Benthic populations and their relationship to environmental quality.
- 2. The origins, fate and effects of contaminants, particularly heavy metals.
- 3. The role of sediments in understanding the effects of contaminants.
- 4. Marine food-chains in relation to the productivity of Fisheries.
The NERC and high education institutes undertake much of this research on behalf of my and the other Departments and undertake additionally, related basic research both on freshwater and marine ecosystems, particularly on studies of deep ocean ecosystems.