Why Was the near Extinction of All Ocean Plankton in the Permian

question 3

Multiple Choice

Why was the near extinction of all ocean plankton in the Permian mass extinction so devastating to marine species?

• A) Plankton are the base of aquatic food chains.
• B) Plankton provide oxygen for other aquatic species.
• C) Without plankton sequestering carbon, an enhanced period of global warming caused ocean temperatures to increase.
• D) The dead plankton smothered coral reefs, killing them, which was a critical loss of nursery habitat for most marine species.

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Definitions:

Sensory Fibers

Nerve fibers that transmit sensory information from the body to the central nervous system.

Motor Fibers

Nerve fibers that transmit impulses from the brain or spinal cord to muscles or glands, orchestrating their movement or activity.

Schwann Cells

The principal glia of the peripheral nervous system, responsible for the formation of myelin.

Peripheral Nervous System

The part of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord, comprising nerves that connect the central nervous system to limbs and organs, essential for relaying sensory and motor information.