PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Twenty-five percent of all species in the ocean live in coral reefs, which are created by tiny living organisms known as coral polyps. If conditions do not change, over half of the world's coral will be dead by 2050.

Most polyps live with algae in a symbiotic relationship—one that helps both organisms. These algae rely on sunlight for food. The coral needs access to flowing water for its own food as well as for the gases it and its algae need.

Runoff from farming, construction, and other human activities can carry silt far out into the ocean. What effects does this silt have on coral reefs?

A. It helps reefs by bringing them additional nutrients and topsoil.
B. It forces reefs to move by creating new deltas and shoals.
C. It damages reefs by blocking sunlight and burying the reefs.
D. It increases the population of marine life sheltering in the reef.

Respuesta :

plexii
The effects that silt runoff has on coral reefs would be C. It damages reefs by blocking sunlight and burying the reefs. 

We know that it wouldn't be A or D because the problem mentions in the first chunk that reef conditions are not improving, leaving us with the choice of B or C. From the second chunk of text, we learn that the algae that polyps rely on is dependent on the sunlight and that the coral needs non-stagnant, or moving, water to stay alive. This is addressed by C, while B mentions something non-related to the question. 

Hope I could help!

Answer:

C. It damages reefs by blocking sunlight and burying the reefs.

Explanation:

That was the answer on study island :/