Assignment:
Micronutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous can result in rapid plant growth. This is why NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) fertilizers are commonly used on lawns. However, excess fertilizers in waterways leads to eutrophication. This excessive algae growth depletes the dissolved oxygen supply in the water through cellular respiration. This is further depleted when the algae bloom dies and decomposes. The hypoxic and anoxic conditions are referred to as a dead zone, for fairly straightforward reasons. Seasonally, the Gulf of Mexico experiences a large dead zone extending from the mouth of the Mississippi River. The largest recorded size of this dead zone was 7,728 square miles!
Take a Side
Would seasonal fertilizer bans be effective at reducing eutrophication? In your response include discussion on the impact of the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration.