What can both organic and inorganic materials cause when they enter water bodies?

When organic and inorganic materials enter water bodies, they can contribute to the phenomenon known as algal blooms, which is a significant aspect of eutrophication. Eutrophication occurs when nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus found in fertilizers, sewage, and other pollutants, enhance the growth of algae. This rapid algal growth can lead to dense populations, which may block sunlight from reaching underwater plants and disrupt the aquatic ecosystem.

Once the algal blooms die off, the decomposition process consumes a large amount of dissolved oxygen from the water, leading to hypoxic conditions or “dead zones” where aquatic life cannot survive. Hence, the proliferation of algae not only indicates an increase in nutrient levels but can profoundly impact aquatic life, reducing biodiversity and altering food webs.

While reduction in fish populations and increased evaporation rates can result from environmental changes, they are not direct or primary results of the entry of organic and inorganic materials into water bodies in the same way that algal blooms leading to eutrophication are. Improvement in oxygen levels is contrary to what typically occurs after algal blooms, as the subsequent decomposition process depletes oxygen, harming aquatic organisms.