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Eutrophication and Dead Zones

Provided by: Khan Academy |Published on: April 27, 2021

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9101112AP

Synopsis

This lesson from Khan Academy describes the process of eutrophication, when excess nutrients collect in a body of water and cause algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and fish kills.
Students learn about the "dead zones" created by eutrophication and the locations that are most impacted globally.
An optional practice quiz about the types of aquatic and terrestrial pollution is available for students as well.

Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Khan Academy

Region: Global

Languages: English

Positives

This video provides engaging visuals and animations to describe the process of eutrophication in an accessible format.
The video helps students identify the environmental impacts of industrialization and agriculture on the environment.

Prerequisites

This video is part of a larger unit on Khan Academy about aquatic and terrestrial pollution.
While no sign-in is required to view the video or take the quiz, an account is required to save progress and import the related practice quiz to Google Classroom.
The first lesson in the series, titled "Human Impacts on Aquatic Environments," might provide helpful background knowledge.

Differentiation & Implementation

While this video is designed to be part of an AP Environmental Science course, it can easily be incorporated into a science lesson on ecosystems, human impacts on the environment, or aquatic biology.
Consider brainstorming potential solutions for eutrophication with your students and research the regulations some cities have to reduce this problem, such as buffer zones along streams (i.e., riparian zones) and at the edges of agricultural land, and construction zones that use barriers to prevent loose sediment from flowing into streams.
Other resources that can help support this video include this video about fertilizing lawns, this game that challenges students to improve the health of a lake, and this lesson about dead zones.

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