Mesotrophic
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Mesotrophic is an adjective used to describe the level of biological productivity of a
waterbody.
Many professionals classify levels of
biological productivity using four trophic state categories: oligotrophic, mesotrophic,
eutrophic, and hypereutrophic. Of the four trophic state categories, the
mesotrophic state is defined as having a moderate level of biological productivity. (The prefix
meso means "mid-range".)
A mesotrophic waterbody is capable of producing and supporting moderate populations of living
organisms (plants, fish, and wildlife).
Mesotrophic waterbodies generally have:
- Moderate nutrient concentrations
- Moderate growth of algae, aquatic macrophytes, or both
- Water clear enough (visibility of 8 to 13 feet) so that most swimmers are not repelled by its
appearance and can generally see potential underwater hazards.
See also:
Trophic States
The information on this page was derived in part from the following
publication of
Florida Lakewatch of the University of Florida Department of
Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.
This booklet may be downloaded in its entirety as a PDF file
by clicking here.
Scroll down till you see the Circular 101 icon.
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This project is a collaboration of
the Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida,
and the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, Florida Department of Environmental
Protection
CAIP-WEBSITE@ufl.edu
Copyright 2003 University of Florida