Eutrophication

• Eutrophication


  The process that can happen in a water body, like a river or a lake, when too many nutrients are added to the system
• Eutrophication process


  1. Fertilizers rich in nutrients like nitrate and phosphate are washed into the river or lake system

  2. Increase in nutrient concentrations in the water

  3. Nutrients are food for algae

  4. Algae grow and reproduce quickly, forming a thick green bloom in the water

  5. Algal bloom absorbs sunlight so it can't reach the bottom

  6. Plants who need this light to photosynthesis will die

  7. Algae start to die when they eat up all of the nutrients and run out of food

  8. Bacteria start to breakdown the dead plants and algae, releasing more nutrients back into the water continuing the Algal Bloom Cycle

  9. Bacteria reproduce into much larger numbers consuming oxygen as they grow and respire

  10. Water turns anoxic (without oxygen)

  11. Non-bacterial life in the water, including fish and other animals, will die
• Eutrophication is one reason why we need to be careful with fertilizers when we are growing crops