Eutrophication is a biological process in aquatic ecosystems driven by excess input of bioavailable nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, that stimulates rapid primary production, especially phytoplankton and cyanobacterial blooms. The resulting high biomass alters food-web structure and increases particulate organic matter sedimentation, enhancing microbial respiration in bottom waters and sediments. This elevated oxygen demand often exceeds resupply via mixing and diffusion, leading to hypoxia or anoxia and associated shifts in community composition, loss of aerobic organisms, and promotion of anaerobic microbial pathways. Eutrophication thereby modifies biogeochemical cycling, including nitrogen and phosphorus regeneration, trace gas production, and redox dynamics across water column and sediment interfaces.
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