eutrophication

American  

[yoo-trah-fi-kay-shuhn] / yuˌtrɑ fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Ecology. the act or process of becoming eutrophic, as from sources such as sewage and leached fertilizers; the pollution of a body of water or wetland.

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eutrophication British  

/ juːˌtrɒfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a process by which pollution from such sources as sewage effluent or leachate from fertilized fields causes a lake, pond, or fen to become overrich in organic and mineral nutrients, so that algae and cyanobacteria grow rapidly and deplete the oxygen supply

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eutrophication Scientific  

/ yo̅o̅-trŏf′ĭ-kā′shən /

1. The process by which a lake, pond, or stream becomes eutrophic, typically as a result of mineral and organic runoff from the surrounding land. The increased growth of plants and algae that accompanies eutrophication depletes the dissolved oxygen content of the water and often causes a die-off of other organisms.

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Other Word Forms

• eutrophicated adjective
• eutrophied adjective

Explanation

When too many nutrients enter a body of water and cause unnatural growth of algae or other plants, that's eutrophication. This overgrowth eventually depletes oxygen in the water, killing off fish and other animal life. Most eutrophication is caused by stormwater runoff. When water runs off the soil into lakes and rivers, it carries chemicals and other substances from the ground's surface with it. This can cause water pollution, and it also causes eutrophication. If you've ever seen the surface of a pond covered with bright green algae, you know what eutrophication looks like. This "algae bloom" is caused by the phosphates in detergents, fertilizers, and sewage. The Greek root is eutrophia, "nourish well."

Example Sentences

Agricultural runoff from nearby farms deposits fertilizer in the lake, causing algae to bloom rapidly in a process called eutrophication.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2024

This causes accelerated growth of algae and other plant life in a process called eutrophication which starves other organisms like fish of oxygen.

From BBC • May 24, 2024

"We need a long-term investigation of the nutrient ratios to ensure the success of efficient and effective eutrophication management," says Graeber.

From Science Daily • Feb. 29, 2024

A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2023

A major effect from fertilizer runoff is saltwater and freshwater eutrophication, a process whereby nutrient runoff causes the overgrowth of algae and a number of consequential problems.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013