Which of the following is the cause of marine snow?

Question

1)tiny pieces of coral that broke off and sink to the bottom
2)zooplankton swimming to the deep ocean each day
3)fish poop/dead organisms
4)frozen water that sinks to the bottom because it is more dense than regular water

Answer 1

Marine snow is primarily composed of organic matter, including tiny particles like dead organisms, fecal pellets, and other detritus that fall from the upper layers of the ocean to the deeper layers.

Among the options you provided, the correct causes of marine snow are:

3. fish poop/dead organisms

While tiny pieces of coral might contribute to the overall organic debris in the ocean, they are not the main contributors to marine snow. Zooplankton swimming to the deep ocean can influence the distribution of marine snow, but they are not a primary component. Frozen water (ice) does not contribute to marine snow in the way described; rather, it affects ocean density and circulation.

So, option 3 is the most accurate regarding what contributes to marine snow.