Why might abundant shallow (epicontinental)seas have contributed cooling to the global climate?
A) More sunlight would have reflected off the shallow sea floor and directly back into space.
B) Shallow-water marine life forms would have consumed more methane, a greenhouse gas.
C) Extensive growth of corals and creatures that grew hard skeletal parts would have removed the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the ocean-atmosphere system.
D) More iron oxides would have precipitated out of the shallow waters, creating banded-iron formations (BIFs), which are a greenhouse rock.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Extensive growth of corals and other creatures that grew hard skeletal parts would have removed carbon dioxide from the ocean-atmosphere system through a process called carbonate deposition. This would have helped to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and contributed to cooling of the global climate.

Why Might Abundant Shallow (Epicontinental)seas Have Contributed Cooling to the Global