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Why too Much Phosphorus is Bad for Water Bodies
Phosphorus is important for terrestrial and aquatic plants. Plants growing take up phosphorus through their roots. Phosphorus is a fertilizer, therefore the more phosphorus in the water, the more the plants will be able to grow. In aquatic systems, an increase in plant growth causes the water to become depleted of oxygen from the large amount of decomposing plant material. With less oxygen in the ecosystem, large die-offs of fish occur.
In water systems, phosphorus causes eutrophication of water bodies. Eutrophication is a natural process in which the lake ages over many thousands of years and becomes more nutrient-rich. Eutrophication can be accelerated by adding more nutrients, like phosphorus, to the ecosystem.
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