The terms ‘oligotrophic’, ‘mesotrophic’ and ‘eutrophic’ are associated

The terms ‘oligotrophic’, ‘mesotrophic’ and ‘eutrophic’ are associated with the evolution of

scrubland
bogs
forest
lakes
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Geoscientist – 2022
The terms ‘oligotrophic’, ‘mesotrophic’, and ‘eutrophic’ are associated with the evolution of lakes.
These terms are used in limnology (the study of inland waters) to classify lakes based on their nutrient levels and primary productivity. Oligotrophic lakes are nutrient-poor with high water clarity; mesotrophic lakes have moderate nutrient levels; and eutrophic lakes are nutrient-rich, often leading to high biological productivity, potentially including algal blooms.
The process of a lake moving from an oligotrophic state towards a eutrophic state is called eutrophication, which can occur naturally over long periods but is often accelerated by human activities (cultural eutrophication) that increase nutrient input (e.g., from agricultural runoff, sewage).
Exit mobile version