A. There will be an increase in nutrients available in the lake.
Water hyacinth can create dense mats on the surface of the water, blocking sunlight from reaching other aquatic plants below. This can lead to a decrease in the diversity of plant species in the lake as other plants are outcompeted. However, water hyacinth itself can absorb nutrients from the water, leading to an increase in nutrients available in the lake. This can potentially result in algal blooms and a shift in the ecosystem dynamics.
Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant that is native to South America and that has been introduced to the United States. Because water hyacinth is not a native species of flower in the country, there is a lack of native animal species that feed on water hyacinth. In fact, it can completely cover a small water body within just a few years. The image below shows a water body that has been covered by water hyacinth.
Suppose water hyacinth is introduced into a lake ecosystem in the southeastern United States where it was not previously located. Which of the following best predicts how this will impact the ecosystem over time?
A.
There will be an increase in nutrients available in the lake.
B.
The number of individual plants living in the lake will decrease.
C.
The number of types of plant species in the lake will decrease.
D.
There will be an increase in carbon dioxide available in the lake.
1 answer