Question

Farmers use fertilizers to increase crop growth. many farms also produce large amounts of animal waste. when it rains, excess fertilizer and waste can run off into nearby ponds and streams. the nutrients in these substances can cause a rapid increase in algae known as an algal bloom. when algae die, bacteria break down their remains, using up the dissolved oxygen in the water. the rapid loss of oxygen, or eutrophication, can kill fish and other wildlife living in the pond or stream. the temperature of four ponds was measured at 6:00 am. which of the ponds would probably have the highest dissolved oxygen concentration?

Answer 1

The pond with the lowest levels of excess fertilizer and waste runoff will likely have the highest dissolved oxygen concentration.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pond with the highest dissolved oxygen concentration would likely be the one with the lowest levels of excess fertilizer and waste runoff.

This is because excess fertilizer and waste can cause algal blooms, which deplete the dissolved oxygen in the water when the algae die and decompose.

When algae blooms, it reduces light penetration in the water, making it aphotic and preventing photosynthetic plants from surviving. This further contributes to the depletion of oxygen.

Therefore, the pond with the least amount of nutrient runoff would have the highest dissolved oxygen concentration.