Question

Why is use of excess fertilizer detrimental for the environment?

Answer 1

Hint: When fertilizers are not managed properly, they can affect plant and animal life some of these impacts cause the depletion of oxygen in surface waters and many other affects.

Complete Answer:
- Excessive use of fertilizers may cause; Oxygen Depletion: the nutrients chemical fertilizers produce promote growth of the microorganisms when it reaches to the surface of water.
- Microorganism development and reproduction decreases the oxygen content of the water.
- Fish and other marine species choke without adequate oxygen dissolved in the freshwater.
- This ensuing dead fish and other aquatic species degrade the consistency of the water and create unpleasant odors.
- It also causes weed Growth and Algae Blooms: with an increased supply of nutrients the number of algae and plants in the water body increases. But increased aquatic algae and plants production is not safe for water resources.
- Eutrophication is the natural or human causing process in which the water body becomes abundant in aquatic plants and low in oxygen content.
- As we know that to meet the need of fertilization nitrogen is converted into ammonia but it has some adverse effects when chemical fertilizers are used; Ammonia-contaminated runoff from fresh fertilizer application sites is toxic to aquatic life.
- At high levels, ammonia in surface water will kill fish. Fish are relatively sensitive to ammonia in water.

Note: If managed properly, fertilizers benefit crop production without causing environmental problems.