Portal:Environment/Selected article/4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eutrophication refers to an increase in the primary productivity of any ecosystem. It is usually caused by the increase of chemical nutrients, typically compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus. It may occur on land or in water.
In aquatic environments, enhanced growth of choking aquatic vegetation or phytoplankton (that is, an algal bloom) disrupts normal functioning of the ecosystem, causing a variety of problems such as lack of oxygen in the water for fish and shellfish to survive.
