Question

"In science class, Kathy has been studying protists. She has been learning specifically about protists called algae that live in ponds. She knows that algae thrive when there are plenty of nutrients available for them. Kathy asks, ""Will water that has been treated with fertilizer have more algae than water that has not been treated with fertilizer?

Answer 1

Excess nutrients from fertilizers can cause algal blooms in bodies of water, leading to reduced light penetration and severe oxygen depletion as algae die and decompose, negatively impacting aquatic life.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Biology, specifically the study of ecosystems and plant-like protists such as algae, the introduction of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers can significantly increase algal growth. This is because nitrogen and phosphorus are limiting nutrients in aquatic environments. When these nutrients are introduced in large amounts, they can lead to a rapid increase in algae populations.

Plant-like protists, or algae, perform photosynthesis and are vital to aquatic ecosystems. However, when excess fertilizer is introduced into a body of water, it causes an algal bloom. The occurrence of an algal bloom reduces light penetration and can create aphotic conditions, which are detrimental to other photosynthetic life. Additionally, when the overgrowth of algae eventually dies off, the decomposition process can cause significant oxygen depletion. This leads to a decline in fish and other oxygen-dependent organisms, often resulting in dead zones in bodies of water such as lakes and ponds.