eutrophic

Eutrophic refers to water bodies, like lakes or rivers, that are rich in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. This abundance of nutrients promotes excessive algae and aquatic plant growth. While nutrients are essential for healthy ecosystems, too much can lead to problems like algae blooms that block sunlight, deplete oxygen levels when the algae decay, and harm aquatic life. Eutrophic systems often experience reduced water quality and can become less hospitable for fish and other organisms. Overall, eutrophic waters are characterized by high productivity driven largely by nutrient overloads, often caused by human activities such as agriculture and wastewater discharge.