Correct Answer - Option 3 : Phosphorus
The correct answer is Phosphorus.
Phosphorus is most likely to limit primary production in freshwater lakes.
- Primary production is the process of conversion of light energy to chemical energy by green plants. For the aquatic ecosystem, usually, phytoplankton does this work.
- In an ecosystem, the primary production sets the balance of the energy budget.
- The amount of light and nutrients limits primary production.
- A limiting nutrient is an element that must be added for production to increase in a particular area.
- In this case, two important nutrients are Nitrogen and Phosphorus that limit primary production.
-
Nitrogen act as an agent for algae blooms in the sea/ocean water.
- In the case of freshwater, the major source of pollutants is derived through domestic sewage and agricultural fields.
-
Phosphate content present in soap, phosphate fertilizers, concentrated animal feeding operations, etc causes extra addition of phosphorus in the freshwater.
-
It predominantly causes Eutrophication.
-
Eutrophication means is characterized by dense algal and plant growth in the water that causes threats to the survival of aquatic life
- Phosphorus is the nutrient that limited cyanobacteria growth.
