How does environmental biology address the impacts of agricultural runoff on aquatic ecosystems?
Environmental biology addresses the impacts of agricultural runoff by studying how excess nutrients, pesticides, and sediments from farming activities affect aquatic ecosystems. Agricultural runoff can lead to problems like eutrophication, where nutrient overload causes excessive algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water, harming fish and other aquatic life. Environmental biologists work on identifying these effects and developing mitigation strategies, such as buffer zones, sustainable farming practices, and improved land management techniques to reduce runoff.