Watch what you Wash: A Study About How Fertilizer Effects Algae Growth in Bodies of Water

Abstract

Although using fertilizer is a common method practiced by many who own homes or land, the effects of fertilizer can reach further than just their property. Many times the fertilizer used is washed off driveways, integrated through street drains, or taken away by water runoff causing pollution in the nearby bodies of water (Moss 2007). Our hypothesis is that the increase of fertilizer in water will increase the growth of algae, resulting in the risk of pollution because of the abundant amount of algae present.