You track aquatic coastal levels of nitrogen and phosphorus at high latitudes and notice a sharp increase in the winter and then again in the spring. What do you expect the effect of these nutrient increases will be on phytoplankton populations

Question

Porkchop

Biology

17 December, 07:37

You track aquatic coastal levels of nitrogen and phosphorus at high latitudes and notice a sharp increase in the winter and then again in the spring. What do you expect the effect of these nutrient increases will be on phytoplankton populations

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Answers (1)

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Julianne Evans · Answer 1

A considerable increase in phytoplankton populations in winter, and a greater increase in spring due to increase in light intensity.

Explanation:

Nitrogen and phosphorus are important nutrients required by phytoplankton populations. The growth of phytoplankton populations is dependent on the level of the availability of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the presence of sunlight.

A rise in the aquatic coastal levels of nitrogen and phosphorus would result in a great increase in phytoplankton populations in spring, as stimulated by nutrient enrichment coupled with the availability of sunlight during spring. Phytoplankton populations would increase also in winter but not as high when compared to the rise in population in spring