[ 205 ] Life Science GED ® TEST SCIENCE FLASH REVIEW • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Harmful algal blooms are naturally occurring events, but they appear to be increasing in intensity and frequency. Blooms occur when environmental conditions change to be more favorable to increased algae growth. Nutrients such as phosphates (phosphorus) and nitrogen (found in fertilizer and animal waste products) encourage the growth of algae. What are some human practices that could be contributing to the increase in harmful algal blooms? Number of honey-producing bee colonies (× 1,000,000) 6 Parasitic mites 5.5 introduced into U.S. 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 1940 1945 1950 1954 1959 1964 1969 1974 1978 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 Data source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NB: Data collected for producers with fve or more colonies. Honey producing colonies are the maximum number of colonies from which honey was taken during the year. It is possible to take honey from colonies that did not survive the entire year. Which of the following conclusions can be supported by the graph? A. Parasitic mites caused the decline in bee populations. B. Bee populations will become extinct because of parasitic mites. C. Parasitic mites may have contributed to a decline in bee populations. D. Bee populations increased until the introduction of parasitic mites.