Question

question 2 (1 point)
what is the primary difference between pelagic environment zones below the photic zone?
increasing pressure with increasing depth
decreasing food abundance with increasing depth
increase in salinity with decreasing temperature
decreasing light with increasing depth
decreasing oxygen with increasing depth

Explanation:

The question is about the pelagic environment zones below the photic zone. The photic zone is where light penetrates. Below it, light is already minimal (as it's below the photic zone, so the option about decreasing light is not relevant here as we are comparing zones below the photic zone). Salinity doesn't have a simple increasing trend with depth in a way that differentiates these zones. Oxygen has complex profiles (like oxygen - minimum zones). The key factor is that as depth increases (below the photic zone), pressure increases. Pressure in the ocean is given by \(P =
ho gh\) (where \(
ho\) is water density, \(g\) is acceleration due to gravity, and \(h\) is depth). As \(h\) (depth) increases, \(P\) (pressure) increases. Food abundance does decrease with depth but it's more of a secondary effect related to the lack of primary production (which is light - dependent, but we are in the non - photic zone already, and pressure is a more fundamental physical property difference).

Answer:

Increasing pressure with increasing depth