What is a potential ecological consequence of fertilizer use?

Prepare for the DSST Environmental Science Test. Access quizzes with multiple choice questions, hints, and explanations. Study effectively and succeed in your exam!

Utilizing fertilizers in agriculture can lead to nutrient runoff into nearby water bodies, such as lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. This runoff is typically rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, promoting rapid algae growth, a phenomenon known as an algal bloom. As these algae proliferate, they can cover the surface of the water, blocking sunlight and disrupting the photosynthesis process of aquatic plants.

As the algal blooms die off, their decomposition consumes a significant amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. This depletion of oxygen can create hypoxic or anoxic conditions, endangering aquatic life by leading to fish kills and the loss of biodiversity in these ecosystems. The oxygen depletion impacts not just fish but other organisms that rely on oxygen, creating a cascade effect in the aquatic ecosystem.

The other choices describe outcomes that are not typically associated with fertilizer use. Increased biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems would generally result from healthy ecosystems, not from the conditions created by nutrient overload. Enhanced soil nutrient retention is a potential benefit of fertilizers but does not address ecological consequences. Lastly, the reduction of atmospheric carbon levels is unrelated to the direct effects of fertilizer application in the environment, as fertilizers do not directly reduce atmospheric carbon.

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