A student hypothesised that large populations of sea cucumbers could greatly alter the physical and chemical composition of the sea floor. Is this hypothesis supported by the data in the passage?

Correct answer: B. Yes; sea cucumbers feed by swallowing sediment, extracting organic matter, and ejecting the remainder.

  • A. Yes; sea cucumbers often prey upon commercially important organisms, such as oysters.
  • B. Yes; sea cucumbers feed by swallowing sediment, extracting organic matter, and ejecting the remainder.
  • C. No; sea cucumbers cannot burrow into the sediment, so will not affect the composition of the sea floor.
  • D. No; sea cucumbers do not have a viable method of locomotion.

Explanation

According to the passage, "sea cucumbers are wormlike and tend to burrow." Table 1 indicates that sea cucumbers feed by swallowing mud and sand, digesting any organic material, and ejecting whatever is left over. Sea cucumbers in large numbers could, simply by feeding, alter the physical and chemical composition of the sea floor. The other answer choices are not supported by the data.

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