When a water body becomes enriched with nutrients, what is the process called?

Concept

Trophic state describes the amount of plant nutrients available in a water body and the biological productivity supported by those nutrients.

Processes that raise nutrient availability are distinguished from states with low, moderate, or humic-water productivity.

Application

The stem describes enrichment of a water body with nutrients. This nutrient-loading process is called eutrophication.

Contrast

• Oligotrophication describes movement toward nutrient-poor, low-productivity conditions.

• Eutrophication describes increasing nutrient availability and the resulting rise in biological productivity.

• Mesotrophication refers to movement toward an intermediate trophic condition.

• Dystrophication is associated with humic, dark-water conditions and reduced light penetration.

Cross-check

Nutrient loading commonly promotes excessive algal growth and may later reduce dissolved oxygen as organic matter decomposes. That sequence is the characteristic ecological cross-check for eutrophication.

Therefore, the process described is eutrophication.