eutrophication
Lake's algal suffocation
Eutrophication is the excessive enrichment of a body of water with nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, typically from agricultural runoff or sewage.
The nutrient surge triggers algal blooms that deplete oxygen as they decay, suffocating fish and other aquatic life.
The lake's eutrophication turned it green and foul-smelling.
The process can occur naturally over geological time but is greatly accelerated by human activity.
Primitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- phytoplanktonPhotosynthetic aquatic drifters
- green waterAlgae-tinted aquatic environment
- chlorophyllLight-harvesting plant pigment
bloom · overgrowth · diatoms · red tide · toxic algae · scum · photosynthesis · biomass
Area lacking signal coverage
- oxygen depletionRemoval of breathable gas
- fish killSudden mass aquatic death
- anoxiaAbsence of oxygen supply
- anoxicLacking molecular oxygen
hypoxic · dissolved oxygen · suffocation · stratification · Gulf of Mexico · Baltic Sea · Chesapeake Bay · decomposition
Glow-in-dark element
- nitrogenElement seven, colorless gas
- nitratesNitrogen-oxygen salt compounds
- runoffExcess water drainage
- fertilizerSoil nutrient supplement
agricultural runoff · sewage · phosphates · manure · detergents · wastewater · leaching · stormwater
Study of inland waters
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- shallowingDecreasing in depth
- infillingCompleting gaps or spaces
- turbidityCloudiness from suspended particles
algae
Primitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- phytoplanktonPhotosynthetic aquatic drifters
- green waterAlgae-tinted aquatic environment
chlorophyll · bloom · overgrowth · diatoms · red tide · toxic algae · scum · photosynthesis · biomass · aquatic plants
dead zone
Area lacking signal coverage
- oxygen depletionRemoval of breathable gas
- fish killSudden mass aquatic death
- anoxiaAbsence of oxygen supply
anoxic · hypoxic · dissolved oxygen · suffocation · stratification · Gulf of Mexico · Baltic Sea · Chesapeake Bay · decomposition
phosphorus
Glow-in-dark element
- nitrogenElement seven, colorless gas
- nitratesNitrogen-oxygen salt compounds
- runoffExcess water drainage
fertilizer · agricultural runoff · sewage · phosphates · manure · detergents · wastewater · leaching · stormwater · anthropogenic
limnology
Study of inland waters
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- shallowingDecreasing in depth
- infillingCompleting gaps or spaces
eutrophicationbioremediation
Living organisms detoxify pollutants
acidification · water purification · desertification · drought
atrophy, tropic, hypertrophy, trophic, dystrophy, eutrophic, atrophic, trophoblast, autotroph