The largest impact that the loss of sponges would have on the environment would be

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sponges play a crucial role in filtering water in marine habitats. Large sponges can filter up to 1,500 liters of water each day. Loss of this filtering would adversely affect water quality in marine habitats, leading to a reduction in oxygen levels and increase in harmful substances. This would further affect the survival of other species relying on the habitats. Collapse of most food chains (A) and extinctions of other species that are symbionts of sponges (B) are possible but not the most significant impact of the loss of sponges. Alteration of ocean currents (C) and alteration of gases in water and the atmosphere (D) are also possible, but their impacts would be less significant compared to the loss of filtration.

The Largest Impact That the Loss of Sponges Would Have