As big as it is, the ocean is nutrient-limited. If you wanted to investigate this, one reasonable approach would be to
A) follow whale migrations in order to determine where most nutrients are located.
B) observe Antarctic Ocean productivity from year to year to see if it changes.
C) experimentally enrich some areas of the ocean and compare their productivity to that of untreated areas.
D) compare nutrient concentrations between the photic zone and the benthic zone in various marine locations.
E) contrast nutrient uptake by autotrophs in marine locations that are different temperatures.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Experimentally enriching some areas of the ocean and comparing their productivity to that of untreated areas is the most direct way to investigate if nutrient limitation is a factor in limiting productivity. This approach will allow scientists to manipulate nutrient concentrations and monitor the response of the ocean ecosystem. The other options, such as following whale migrations or comparing nutrient concentrations in different marine locations, may provide some information about nutrient distribution in the ocean, but they do not directly address whether the ocean is nutrient-limited.

As Big as It Is, the Ocean Is Nutrient-Limited