Nitrogen and phosphorus sound like things that would benefit farm lands. Why then are they deemed harmful to our rivers?
A You can have too much of a good thing that is called eutrophication by the scientists. Too much runoff of fertilizers into the rivers, and ultimately the Bay, causes algae blooms and kills underwater grasses so essential to the growth and shelter of fish and crabs. Algae growth also prevents fish and other Bay life from getting sunlight and oxygen needed to thrive and grow.
Related Questions
- Nitrogen and phosphorus sound like things that would benefit farm lands. Why then are they deemed harmful to our rivers?
- What are considered to be allowable amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in our rivers, above which they are impaired?
- How is a clover part of the carbon nitrogen and phosphorus cycles?
