Eutrophication

Eutrophication is the deterioration of an aquatic ecosystem caused by the proliferation of certain plants, in particular plankton algae (referred to as an algal bloom). It may be caused by the release of nitrates due to human activity (nitrogen fertilizers, for example), phosphates (detergents, for example) and organic materials. The consequences are many and various: proliferation of plankton algae and certain types of zooplankton, modification of the water's physical and chemical characteristics, disappearance or significant reduction in the number of animals and certain plants, decrease in oxygen levels, etc.