The over-enrichment of a body of water with nutrients, chiefly nitrogen and phosphorus, most often from agricultural runoff, sewage or fertilizer, fueling excessive algae growth that can deplete the water's dissolved oxygen as the algae die and decompose. Severe eutrophication produces oxygen-starved dead zones that can no longer support fish and other aquatic life, a growing problem in lakes and coastal waters worldwide.
Facts
Timescale
Timescale (category) Process TypeBiogeochemical or Pedological 1 Connections
Sources
1. Eutrophication (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation- Wikipedia infobox 'Lead section' = 'Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutr...' on 'Eutrophication'
Introduction
Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water; i.e.
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