Barrons AP Environmental Science

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

  1. (C) Phosphates and nitrates are required for photosynthesis and vary in
    concentration due to biological activity. In surface waters, where plants are
    actively involved in the process of photosynthesis, nitrates and phosphates
    can be in short supply, limiting the amount of biological activity that can
    take place. The cycling of materials (in this case, nitrates and phosphates) is
    the function of organisms of decay. Microscopic bacteria in seawater can
    contain up to 1,000,000 bacterial cells per cubic centimeter.

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