-Slow aging process during which a bay, estuary, lake, river, stream, or other shallow body of water deteriorates into a bog or marsh, and eventually 'dies.' Nutritive pollution (containing nitrogen and phosphorous compounds) generated by human activities is a major factor in eutrophication because it causes an explosive growth of algae. Decaying algae consumes the oxygen dissolved in water, thus suffocating fish and other aquatic plant and animal life.