fish kill
Aquatic population collapse
A fish kill is a sudden mass die-off of fish in a body of water, typically caused by oxygen depletion, pollution, algae blooms, or disease.
The term extends to similar events affecting other aquatic life: The chemical spill caused a massive fish kill along the river.
Environmental agencies track fish kills as indicators of water quality problems.
Rapid aquatic microorganism proliferation
- eutrophicationExcess nutrients depleting oxygen
- oil spillPetroleum released into water
- chemical runoffPollutants flowing from land
- hypoxiaInsufficient tissue oxygenation
dead zone · thermal pollution · agricultural runoff · sewage · industrial waste · pesticides · oxygen depletion · red tide
Widespread simultaneous deaths
- die-offRapid population disappearance
- ecosystem collapseTotal breakdown of environmental systems
- population crashSudden drop in numbers
- scavengersCreatures consuming dead matter
food chain disruption · decomposition · stench · beach closure · economic loss · investigation · cleanup · remediation
Relating to the sea
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- saltwaterOcean water, chemically speaking
- estuariesRiver-sea meeting points
- riversFlowing bodies of water
lakes · ponds · streams · wetlands · coastal waters · tributaries · watersheds · aquaculture
algae bloom
Rapid aquatic microorganism proliferation
- eutrophicationExcess nutrients depleting oxygen
- oil spillPetroleum released into water
- chemical runoffPollutants flowing from land
hypoxia · dead zone · thermal pollution · agricultural runoff · sewage · industrial waste · pesticides · oxygen depletion · red tide · winterkill
mass mortality
Widespread simultaneous deaths
- die-offRapid population disappearance
- ecosystem collapseTotal breakdown of environmental systems
- population crashSudden drop in numbers
food chain disruption · scavengers · decomposition · stench · beach closure · economic loss · investigation · cleanup · remediation · water testing
marine
Relating to the sea
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- saltwaterOcean water, chemically speaking
- estuariesRiver-sea meeting points
rivers · lakes · ponds · streams · wetlands · coastal waters · tributaries · watersheds · aquaculture · hatchery
- bioindicatorsbioindicator, sentinel species, keystone species, lichen, amphibian
- environmental harmair pollution, water pollution, pollution, oil spills, acid rain
- animal remainsbones, bone, skeleton, carcass, carrion
- Eco-crisesclimate change, global warming, oil spill, deforestation, biodiversity loss
- eco-disastersclimate collapse, oil spill, ocean warming, coral bleaching, biodiversity loss
- water pollutionsewage, industrial waste, contaminants, algal bloom, toxic waste