What is eutrophication?

Eutrophication is a result of nitrogen rich compounds leeching from farm land fertilizer/manure or other pollution methods to the river water ecosystem. The all of a sudden nitrogen rich environment in the river causes surface algi to grow at an increased rate and create a film over the water. This causes the deeper dwelling plants to die due to no light and then are acted on by decomposers aerobically lowering the water system's oxygen percentage. Aerobic animals such as fish therefore decrease in number due to lower oxygen and decrease in food source and or habitat in the deeper plants.

FS
Answered by Festus S. Biology tutor

9040 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

How does anaerobic respiration in yeast actually work?


Part of the retina of a young rat was removed and kept in the dark for two hours. This allowed the pigment in the rod cells to recover from bleaching caused by exposure to light. Suggest what happens in the rod cells during this two hours of darkness.


Describe how a vaccine leads to production of antibody against the disease (4 marks)


How do the alveoli within the lungs create an efficient gas exchange surface?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning