The Dead Zone That Develops in the Gulf of Mexico

question 61

Multiple Choice

The dead zone that develops in the Gulf of Mexico forms because the large amounts of nitrogen from fertilizers and sewage carried by the Mississippi River

• A) kill the algae, which are the main food of primary consumers.
• B) cause bacterial populations to grow rapidly and create widespread disease among secondary consumers.
• C) lead eventually to large bacterial populations that deplete deeper waters of oxygen.
• D) are poisonous to bacteria, which are critically important decomposers.