Gregory is studying Lake Mairead. The lake has clear water and supports a healthy community of algae, fishes, and other aquatic organisms. Gregory hypothesizes that phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in the lake. Which experimental result provides the strongest evidence in support of the hypothesis?

A. Filtering and removing phosphorus from a sample of lake water causes an increase in the growth of algae in the sample.
B. Adding phosphorus-rich fertilizer to a sample of lake water causes no observable effect.
C. Adding phosphorus-rich fertilizer to a sample of lake water causes an increase in the growth of algae.
D. Measurements show that phosphorus is more concentrated in bottom sediments than in the lake water.