A scientist observes that the shells of oysters this year are thinner than the shells of oysters several years ago. How could this trend be related to the use of fossil fuels?
A. Fossil fuels spills ocean prevent oysters from building shells.
B. Lower carbon levels mean that oysters do not have enough materials to build shells.
C. Higher levels of ozone in the ocean keep oysters from building shells.
D. Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.
D. Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.
The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which then gets absorbed by the oceans, leading to ocean acidification. This increased acidity in the ocean water can make it more difficult for organisms like oysters to build and maintain their shells, resulting in thinner shells.