Consider the following statements regarding Plankton Bloom:
Statement I: Plankton blooms occur when there is a sudden increase in the population of both phytoplankton (microscopic plants) and zooplankton (microscopic animals) in aquatic ecosystems.
Statement II: The dust emitted from southern Africa, deposited into the nutrient-limited surface waters southeast of Madagascar, stimulated the strongest phytoplankton bloom of the last two decades.
Which of the following is correct with respect to the above statements?
1
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, and Statement II explains Statement I.
2
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct, but Statement II does not explain Statement I.
3
Statement I is correct, but Statement II is incorrect.
4
Statement I is incorrect, but Statement II is correct.