Environmental Science
The Nitrogen Cycle in Agricultural Runoff Pollution
Quick fact
The Mississippi River delivers about 1.5 million tons of nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico each year, creating a dead zone that can cover an area the size of New Jersey.
Why this is interesting
You know how a little fertilizer helps plants grow? But what happens when all that extra nitrogen from farms ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans – and turns them into lifeless zones?