Wastewater with a nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) ratio of 8 by atoms is being dischar

Question

Wastewater with a nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) ratio of 8 by atoms is being discharged into a lake. The N/P ratio of the algae in the lake is 16 by atoms. Assume that the wastewater is the only significant source of nitrogen and phosphorus for the lake and that either N or P limits algal biomass in the lake. What will happen to the algal biomass in the lake if 2.6 The P in the waste water is reduced by a factor of 10 a) No change b) Reduced by a factor of 2 c) Reduced by a factor of 5 d) Reduced by a factor of 10

Explanation / Answer

Answer is (c) reduced by a factor of 5

Explanation: for the growth of algal biomass, N/P has to be in ratio 16/1.

But the provided ratio is 8/1= 16/2

Clearly phosphorous is extra here. It is double of what is required. Reducing Phosphorous by factor of 10 will make the effective reduction in algal biomass growth by factor of 5 only..as it was already double then needed.

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