Q.Define Eutrophication.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Eutrophication is excessive nutrient enrichment of a water body that triggers algal blooms and oxygen depletion, harming aquatic life.
Eutrophication occurs when a lake, pond or other standing water body receives an excess input of nutrients — chiefly nitrogen and phosphorus compounds — either naturally over time or, much more rapidly, from human sources such as agricultural fertiliser run-off, detergents and untreated sewage (this human-accelerated form is called cultural eutrophication). The nutrient surplus causes rapid, dense growth of phytoplankton and other algae on the water surface, forming an algal bloom that blocks sunlight from reaching submerged plants. When the algae die, aerobic decomposer bacteria break them down and consume large quantities of dissolved oxygen in the process, leading to hypoxic (oxygen-p …
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