Question

The greatest source of both nitrogen and phosphorus entering most estuaries, such as chesapeake bay, is ________.

Answer 1

Answer;

Agriculture

Agriculture is the major source of both nitrogen and phosphorus entering most estuaries, such as chesapeake bay.

Explanation;

The largest source of pollution to the Bay comes from agricultural runoff, which contributes roughly 40 percent of the nitrogen and 50 percent of the phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay.

-Agricultural practices including over-irrigating farmland, over-tilling soil and over-applying fertilizers and pesticides, can push pollution into the Bay and its local waterways. Agriculture is the single largest source of nutrient and sediment pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay. The fastest growing source of nitrogen pollution to the Bay is polluted runoff.

Answer 2

The Chesapeake bay is an estuary in United States. The presence of nitrogen and phosphorus in the estuary can cause harm to the aquatic species present there.

The main source of nitrogen in the Chesapeake bay is the agricultural runoff. The pesticides and the herbicides used in the agriculture may come along the runoff and get mixed with large rivers and water bodies. The nitrogen from agricultural runoff accounts approximately 40% of the total sources of nitrogen.

Hence, the correct answer is agricultural runoff.