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8. Lawn fertilizers often contain phosphorus. Sometimes these fertilizers run off into lakes. Once in a lake, the excess phosphorus may affect algal growth and cause eutrophication.

Which best describes how the phosphorus affects the algae?

A. It increases the number of trophic levels algae occupy.
B. It improves algae adaptability.
C. It increases the carrying capacity of lakes for algae.
D. It reduces algae habitat size.



Answer :

Final answer:

Excess phosphorus from fertilizers stimulates algal growth leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion in water ecosystems.


Explanation:

Phosphorus from lawn fertilizers runoff into lakes, leading to an excess that stimulates algal growth in a process known as eutrophication. This excess phosphorus fuels the rapid proliferation of algae, resulting in algal blooms, which can have detrimental effects on water ecosystems.

As a result of the algal blooms, light penetration in the water is reduced, leading to oxygen depletion when the algae die and decompose. This oxygen depletion can cause fish die-offs and create dead zones in the water, impacting the overall health of the aquatic ecosystem.


Learn more about eutrophication here:

https://brainly.com/question/13232104


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