Question

Fish are sometimes lost from lakes as eutrophication occurs. Given what you've learned in this tutorial about why these fish kills occur, which of the following might help prevent fish kills as phosphorus concentrations increase?

A. Installing aerators that increase the oxygen concentration in the water
B. Penodically adding more algae to the lake throughout the year
C. Adding excess nutnents to promote increased algal growth in the lake
D. Trawling the lake with specialized nets to filter out extra zooplankton

Answer 1

Installing aerators in a lake experiencing eutrophication can help prevent fish kills by increasing the oxygen concentration in the water. Therefore, the correct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

As eutrophication occurs in lakes, increased concentrations of phosphorus cause an excessive growth of algae, leading to the depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water. This oxygen depletion results in the death of aquatic organisms such as fish. To help prevent fish kills, installing aerators that increase the oxygen concentration in the water may be effective. This is because aerators can help to counteract the reduced oxygen levels that follow algal decay, thereby supporting the survival of fish and other aquatic organisms that need oxygen.