Given below are two statements:

Statement I : Cultural eutrophication is caused by increased nutrient input into water body mainly due to human activities

Statement II : Cultural eutrophication deaccelerate the 'aging' of a water body enormously over natural rates.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

Key Points

• This statement is correct.
• Cultural eutrophication refers to the excessive enrichment of a water body with nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which often results from human activities like agriculture, industrial discharges, and wastewater treatment.
• The increased nutrient input can lead to excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants, negatively impacting water quality and ecosystem health.

Statement II: Cultural eutrophication decelerates the 'aging' of a water body enormously over natural rates.

• This statement is incorrect.
• Statement II: "Cultural eutrophication decelerates the 'aging' of a water body enormously over natural rates." This statement is incorrect. In reality, cultural eutrophication accelerates the aging process of a water body rather than decelerating it. The excess nutrients promote algal blooms and aquatic plant growth, leading to an increase in organic matter.
• As this organic matter decomposes, it consumes dissolved oxygen in the water, resulting in hypoxia (low oxygen levels) or anoxia (no oxygen), which is harmful to aquatic life. This process is detrimental to the health of the water body and can lead to ecological imbalances.

Therefore, both statements accurately describe cultural eutrophication, its causes, and its effects on water bodies. Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect