A local plant nursery uses large sprinklers to water the plants twice a day. The water contains phosphorus, which is a fertilizer that helps plants grow. Some of the water becomes runoff and ends up in nearby streams and lakes.

Runoff carries phosphorus from the nursery into nearby streams and lakes. Excess phosphorus can cause algae and aquatic plants to grow rapidly, which may reduce oxygen in the water and harm aquatic life. This process is called eutrophication, so the correct choice is eutrophication.

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