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Light availability is limited in aquatic ecosystems because sunlight is absorbed by water and by:
AThe atmosphere far above
BPlants and suspended particles
COnly the water surface
DDissolved oxygen molecules
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Plants and suspended particles
1. Depth alone is not the whole story in water.
2. In aquatic ecosystems, the availability of light may be limited because sunlight is absorbed by water, plants, suspended particles, and resident microorganisms.
3. Below a certain depth, photosynthesis cannot take place.
4. As a result, a number of adaptations have evolved that enable living things to survive without light.
_Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 35 'Ecology and the Biosphere', sections 35.1-35.5_
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