Environmental issues arising from the use of fertilisers including leaching and eutrophication
Fertilisers added to farmland can wash into rivers and lakes. This triggers a chain of events that removes oxygen from the water and kills aquatic life.
Real World
In 2014, a toxic algal bloom caused by phosphate-rich agricultural runoff contaminated Lake Erie's water supply, leaving 500,000 residents of Toledo, Ohio without safe drinking water for three days.
Exam Focus
Write the eutrophication sequence in order: leaching → algal bloom → algae die → bacteria decompose → aerobic respiration depletes O₂ → fish die.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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