Question

Fertilizer runoff has a negative impact on aquatic ecosystems because _______.
a.
it causes plants and algae to grow quickly, suffocating organisms in the water
b.
phosphorus is not found in nature
c.
phosphorus is poisonous to living organisms
d.
living organisms do not require phosphorus in order to survive

Answer 1

a. it causes plants and algae to grow quickly, suffocating organisms in the water

Explanation: Fertilizer runoff adds nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) to aquatic systems, causing algal blooms (eutrophication). When the algae die and decompose, microbes consume oxygen, creating hypoxic conditions that can suffocate fish and other organisms.