Question
How might an oil spill affect organisms in a marine ecosystem? a It may cause an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. b It may cause overgrowth of marine plants. c It may add CFCs and PCBs to Earth's atmosphere. d It may trap organisms and decrease sunlight below the water's surface.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The most relevant answer is **d**: It may trap organisms and decrease sunlight below the water's surface.
An oil spill can have numerous detrimental effects on marine ecosystems, including:
- **Physical trapping of organisms**: Oil can coat the bodies of marine organisms, making it difficult or impossible for them to move, breathe, or feed effectively. This can lead to direct mortality.
- **Decrease in sunlight penetration**: Oil on the surface of the water can prevent sunlight from reaching underwater plants and phytoplankton, disrupting photosynthesis and affecting the entire food web.
The other options (a, b, and c) are not directly relevant effects of an oil spill on marine ecosystems. An oil spill does not typically cause an increase in atmospheric CO2, promote overgrowth of marine plants, or add CFCs and PCBs to the atmosphere (though it can introduce harmful substances like PCBs into the marine environment).
An oil spill can have numerous detrimental effects on marine ecosystems, including:
- **Physical trapping of organisms**: Oil can coat the bodies of marine organisms, making it difficult or impossible for them to move, breathe, or feed effectively. This can lead to direct mortality.
- **Decrease in sunlight penetration**: Oil on the surface of the water can prevent sunlight from reaching underwater plants and phytoplankton, disrupting photosynthesis and affecting the entire food web.
The other options (a, b, and c) are not directly relevant effects of an oil spill on marine ecosystems. An oil spill does not typically cause an increase in atmospheric CO2, promote overgrowth of marine plants, or add CFCs and PCBs to the atmosphere (though it can introduce harmful substances like PCBs into the marine environment).