A lake has begun to degrade due to an increase in human activity and urbanization. The main cause of this degradation is that the oxygen carrying capacity of the water has decreased due to an increase in the discharge of organic substances (especially
phosphates) in the lake due to fertilizer runoff from local farms. This increase in organic substances has allowed aquatic plants,
including algae, in the lake to grow at an increased rate. As these aquatic plants die, excessive oxygen is used in the
decomposition process, which leads to oxygen deprivation and fish kills. This results in reduced animal populations in the lake,
and the decomposition process releases more phosphates back into the water to feed even more plant growth. This dramatic
increase in plant growth is called eutrophication and can make water unfit for human consumption
A scientist wants to come up with a solution to help minimize eutrophication as a way to maintain the lake's natural ecosystem
without eliminating any of the lake's native populations. Which of the following would be the best solution for the scientist to
implement?
OA. creating buffer strips around the lake using land vegetation to trap fertilizer runoff and prevent it from reaching the
water
OB. spraying clay on the aquatic plants so that they sink to the bottom of the lake to decompose
OC. asking the farmers in the area to only use fertilizer on their crops when it is raining or windy outside
OD. treating all runoff with metal complexes that are poisonous to algae populations