Question

Researchers are investigating the incidence of algal blooms in neighborhood ponds. In summer, they collect water samples from over 100 neighborhood ponds in Dallas, Texas and surrounding cities. They also surveyed residents in each neighborhood to collect data such as average lot size, average home value, average resident income, and lawn care methods. The researchers found that neighborhoods with large lots, high home values, and high income levels were likely to use automatic sprinklers and synthetic fertilizers on their lawns. These same neighborhoods were very likely to have abundant algae in their ponds. Based on this research, which conclusion below provides the best explanation for why algae proliferate in neighborhood ponds?
a. Automatic sprinklers may house algae and may spray into neighborhood ponds.
b. High income neighborhoods are less likely to treat their ponds with chemicals that prevent algae growth.
c. Lawn fertilizer that washes into neighborhood ponds likely causes algae to become more abundant.
d. Neighborhoods with expensive homes typically have larger, deeper ponds that are more likely to support algae proliferation.
e. Large lot sizes likely provide algae with extra room to grow, and the algae then washes into the pond.

Answer 1

Answer: c. Lawn fertilizer that washes into neighborhood ponds likely causes algae to become more abundant.

Explanation:

Eutrophication is a natural phenomena in which the algal growth occurs in the water body due to increase in concentration of the fertilizers and manures being drained from the agricultural land into water. This causes decrease in oxygen level in water, and the aquatic animals in water will not survive due to scarcity of water.

According to the given situation, the growth of algae in the neighboring ponds is due to the drainage of lawn fertilizers into the neighboring ponds being washed from the lawns. This causes algae to grow abundantly in ponds.