Students in a riverside town discover that the fish in the river are suddenly dying prematurely. They suspect that the fish are dying because a nearby factory must have started dumping industrial pollutants into the river. Following are some steps that the students can follow to verify whether what they suspect is true. Arrange the missing steps in the flowchart in the correct order.

answer options to fill in (each can only be used once) (fill in on the attached image) (put in the correct order):

Collect samples of river water over a period of time and test them for pollutants.

Ask questions: Could the nearby factory be releasing pollutants into the water?

Analyze the composition of the water samples.

Develop a hypothesis: The fish are suddenly dying prematurely due to the recent release of toxic industrial pollutants into the river.

The student's question pertains to the field of Environmental Biology. It describes a scientific investigation process where river water samples are collected and analyzed over time to check for the presence of industrial pollutants. The data gathered can then be used to validate or refute the hypothesis that these pollutants are causing premature fish deaths in the river.

Investigating water pollution involves tracing sources of contaminants that harm aquatic ecosystems, such as industrial pollutants and agricultural runoff. These pollutants can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in fish and dead zones due to oxygen depletion.

Explanation:

The scenario described involves a typical scientific process of hypothesizing, collecting, and interpreting data. This process falls under a field of study known as Environmental Biology. Here, the cause of the fish dying prematurely is suspected to be a factory releasing pollutants into a river. In order to verify this suspicion, samples of river water can be collected over a period of time and tested for industrial pollutants. While collecting samples, it's important to be consistent and systematic to ensure the accuracy of the results. After samples have been collected, they should be analyzed to identify any potential pollutants present. This data, coupled with the observations of the affected fish, can be used to confirm or refute the hypothesis that toxic industrial pollutants from the factory are the cause of the premature fish deaths.

Water pollution has a significant impact on aquatic ecosystems, often traced back to human activities such as industrialization and agriculture. The presence of contaminants like chemicals, sewage, and excessive nutrients can lead to decreased oxygen levels in water bodies, creating unfavorable conditions for aquatic life.

For instance, industrial pollutants discharged into rivers can contain harmful substances like mercury, which accumulate in fish and move up the food chain, eventually reaching humans. This bioaccumulation of toxins has serious health implications. Moreover, agricultural practices contribute to water pollution through runoff that carries fertilizers and pesticides to nearby water bodies, causing excessive algal growth and resulting in dead zones due to oxygen depletion.

When investigating sources of water pollution, it's crucial to consider all potential inputs, including tributary streams and nearby industrial activities. Evaluating changes in water temperature and oxygen solubility, as well as monitoring aquatic life mortality, can provide evidence for the presence and impact of pollution.