Eutrophication

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY! Which of these is a nonpoint source of plant nutrients?

• suburban lawns

• golf courses

• sewage treatment plants

• refineries

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY! Which of the following could be a point source of plant nutrients?

• sewage treatment plant

• yards

• farms

• coal -fired power plant

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY! Two critical plant nutrients in eutrophication are

• nitrates

• phosphates

• carbon dioxide

• dissolved oxygen

In eutrophication, plant nutrients cause ________ to bloom.

• algae

• decomposers

• plants

• monkey fish

Why do algae die quickly in eutrophication?

• they run out of nutrients

• they are short-lived r-selected species

• they run out of dissolved oxygen

• they have a narrow range of tolerance for eutrophication

CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY! We can prevent eutrophication by

• picking up dog poop and putting it in the trash

• landscaping with native plants that need less fertilizer

• not using fertilizer on our lawns

• avoiding the use of pesticides on our lawns

In eutrophication, dissolved oxygen levels decrease because

• decomposers use it in cellular respiration

• algae bloom and use it up

• plant nutrients react with the dissolved oxygen

• fish use it up

Where is the most likely location of a dead zone in this watershed?

• A

• B

• C

• I

• H

Why does the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico occur in the summer?

• Fertilizers take time to wash downstream.

• The Gulf is warm in the summer time

• Winter freezes in the northern US prevent fertilizers from moving down stream

• climate change is creating more intense rainfall events in the summer time

Why do nitrates and phosphates cause algal blooms?

• They are critical plant nutrients.

• They kill off competition.

• Because algae grow faster than decomposers.

• Nitrates and phosphates are density independent limiting factors.