Question

What best describes an aquatic "dead zone?"

An area where radioactive material has been illegally dumped making the water too toxic for anything to survive

An area where there is so much methane pollution that plants and animals can't breathe and so nothing survives

An area where eutrophication has taken place making the water devoid of oxygen and in turn any life

An area with no cell phone service

Answer 1

A "dead zone" refers to an oxygen-depleted area in aquatic ecosystems, primarily caused by eutrophication from excess nutrient runoff, which results in the loss of marine life. The correct answer is option : 3) An area where eutrophication has taken place making the water devoid of oxygen and in turn any life

Step-by-step explanation:

The term "dead zone" best describes an area in aquatic ecosystems such as lakes, oceans, and bays where the oxygen levels are so low that most marine life cannot survive. This condition is typically caused by a process known as eutrophication, which occurs when excess nutrients, primarily phosphorus and nitrogen from sources like fertilizer runoff, enter the water. The nutrients lead to an overgrowth of algae, which, when they die and decompose, consume the oxygen in the water, making it uninhabitable for most aquatic organisms.

One of the largest known dead zones is found in the Gulf of Mexico, directly off the coast of the United States. It is primarily caused by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi River, covering an area of over 8,463 square miles. Similarly, other ecosystems, including the Chesapeake Bay, face negative impacts from phosphorus and nitrate runoff, resulting in substantial damage to aquatic life.