Eutrophication

Process of Eutrophication
 natural process of the aging of a
body of water
 As more nutrients enter the water
more organisms live and die and add
their organic molecules to the
decaying / recycling process
 Bodies of water evolve from
oligotrophic to eutrophic
 Process continued
 Eutrophicationcan be accelerated by
human activities
– Increasing levels of nitrates and
phosphates
 Detergents

 Sewage

 Fertilizers from agricultural runoff

 “death” of Lake Erie, 1960’s
 Large amounts of detergents and
fertilizers dumped in to lake
 Caused increase of algae growth

– Algal bloom
 Thedecomposition of dead algae
uses tremendous amounts of oxygen
causing death to fish and other
organisms at higher trophic levels
“death” of Lake Erie, continued
 Lake Erie declared “dead”
 Prompted a ban on phosphates in
detergents in the late 1960’s
 Within a decade, Lake Erie
rebounded
– Still suffers from other forms of pollution
 Impacts of eutrophication
 As oxygen levels deplete from
decomposers, other aerobic
organisms suffer and die contributing
to the decomposition process
(Positive Feedback)
 Can lead to “death” of a body of
water
– Decrease in species diversity
– Stagnant putrid water