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At Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, excess nitrogen promotes algae growth, which leads to eutrophication.
At Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, excess nitrogen promotes algae growth, which leads to eutrophication. Over-nourished by excess nutrients including nitrogen, which drains from nearby farms, swirls of blue-free algae form. The eventual decay of the algae robs the water of oxygen, and thereby creates a dead zone where other plants and animals cannot survive.
Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, based on data from the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
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Related story: Too Much of a Good Thing: Human Activities Overload Ecosystems with Nitrogen