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Eutrophication: Causes and Effects Explained

Eutrophication is an abnormal algal growth caused by an excess of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus entering water bodies from human activities. This enriches the water and deteriorates its quality by promoting algal blooms and reducing fish species. According to surveys, over half of the world's lakes and seas are affected by eutrophication, which is accelerated by cultural inputs beyond natural levels and can harm ecosystems.

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45 views1 page

Eutrophication: Causes and Effects Explained

Eutrophication is an abnormal algal growth caused by an excess of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus entering water bodies from human activities. This enriches the water and deteriorates its quality by promoting algal blooms and reducing fish species. According to surveys, over half of the world's lakes and seas are affected by eutrophication, which is accelerated by cultural inputs beyond natural levels and can harm ecosystems.

Uploaded by

haso
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

After seeing the picture of children swimming in a sea of seaweed, you will

surely wonder what strange phenomenon has hit the coast of Qingdao in
eastern China. It is an abnormal growth of algae, a clear manifestation of a
process called eutrophication.
“Eutrophication is an enrichment of water by nutrient salts that causes
structural changes to the ecosystem such as: increased production of algae
and aquatic plants, depletion of fish species, general deterioration of water
quality and other effects that reduce and preclude use”. This is one of the
first definitions given to the eutrophic process by the OECD (Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development) in the 70s.
Eutrophication is a serious environmental problem since it results in a
deterioration of water quality and is one of the major impediments to
achieving the quality objectives established by the Water Framework
Directive (2000/60/EC) at the European level. According to the Survey of
the State of the World’s Lakes, a project promoted by the International Lake
Environment Committee, eutrophication affects 54% of Asian lakes, 53% of
those in Europe, 48% of those in North America, 41% of those in South
America and 28% of those in Africa.
All water bodies are subject to a natural and slow eutrophication process,
which in recent decades has undergone a very rapid progression due to the
presence of man and his activities (so called cultural eutrophication).
The cultural eutrophication process consists of a continuous increase in the
contribution of nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus (organic load)
until it exceeds the capacity of the water body (i.e. the capacity of a lake,
river or sea to purify itself) , triggering structural changes in the waters.

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