Which one of the following would be an anthropogenic cause of eutrophication of a surface water body?

Question

Group of answer choices

automobile emissions

acid rain

bioaccumulation of toxins

excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff

All of the above are anthropogenic causes of eutrophication.

Answer 1

The correct answer is excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff.

While all the options provided (automobile emissions, acid rain, bioaccumulation of toxins) may have anthropogenic sources and can impact environmental health, they do not directly cause eutrophication. Eutrophication specifically refers to the process where water bodies become enriched with nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), leading to excessive growth of algae and changes in water quality. Excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff are a primary cause of this process.

Therefore, the option that directly relates to eutrophication is excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff.