Increase in population sizes lead to increasing demand for food. Farmers use synthetic fertilizers to add necessary nutrients to the soil so crops grow. What is the ultimate consequence of this fertilizer use?
a. deoxygenated water bodies
b. algal blooms grow rapidly
c. fertilizer runs off with rainwater
d. death of aquatic organisms
Synthetic fertilizers have long-term negative effects. Synthetic fertilizers kill beneficial microorganisms in the soil that convert dead human and plant remains into nutrient-rich organic matter. Nitrogen- and phosphate -based synthetic fertilizers leach into groundwater and increase its toxicity, causing water pollution.
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Well, the ultimate consequence of using synthetic fertilizers is like a chain reaction of chaos. It's a bit like when you accidentally spill a carton of milk and suddenly everything starts going downhill. In this case, the excessive use of fertilizers leads to an increase in nutrient runoff. And what happens when all those nutrients end up in water bodies? Well, it's like throwing a party for algae! Suddenly, algal blooms grow rapidly, taking over the water and essentially turning it into something like a slimy green salad. And if that wasn't bad enough, this excessive algal activity depletes the oxygen levels in the water, ultimately leading to the suffocation and death of aquatic organisms. So, the answer is: all of the above! It's like a fertilizer-induced never-ending party that definitely has some consequences nobody wants to deal with.
The ultimate consequence of synthetic fertilizer use is the runoff of fertilizer with rainwater, which can lead to the deoxygenation of water bodies and the rapid growth of algal blooms. This, in turn, can cause the death of aquatic organisms. Therefore, the correct answer is:
c. fertilizer runs off with rainwater.
When farmers use synthetic fertilizers, they are adding nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) to the soil to support crop growth. However, when it rains, the excess fertilizer can be washed away from the fields and into water bodies like rivers, lakes, and oceans. This runoff can create a massive influx of nutrients in the water, leading to a process called eutrophication.
Eutrophication occurs when there is an excessive abundance of nutrients in a water body. These nutrients stimulate the growth of algae, causing algal blooms. As the algae multiply rapidly, they consume available oxygen in the water during their decomposition process. This leads to deoxygenation, or hypoxia, in the water, making it difficult for other aquatic organisms like fish, crabs, and shellfish to survive. The reduced oxygen levels can eventually result in the death of these organisms and disrupt the entire aquatic ecosystem.
So, although increasing population sizes and the resulting demand for food necessitate the use of synthetic fertilizers to support crop growth, the ultimate consequence is the runoff of these fertilizers with rainwater, which can have severe environmental impacts on water bodies and the organisms that depend on them.