Welcome to CoreFacts, where we're always short on time and
big on science. I'm Steve Sobieszczyk. Let's get right to it, today's question
is
Why are some lakes I see full of algae and thick plants?
In many cases, humans are responsible. Actually, these lakes
are being fed too much food for plants! There are certain chemicals we use that
are nutrients (or food) to plants. At our homes we fertilize our yards with
nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. These chemicals wash off our lawns and eventually
get into the water system, such as into creeks, rivers, and lakes. Once there,
algae and plants have a feast on this "food". Things used to be worse
for our water bodies. Phosphorus used to be an ingredient in our laundry
detergent, but this has generally been phased out.
And now you know. Join us again tomorrow as we'll give you
yet another new CoreFact. If you're interested in previous CoreFacts, or would
like to check out CoreCast, our in-depth science podcast, browse over to
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