A scientist observes that the shellspage 10 of 10 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? (1 point)
Fossil fuel spills in the ocean prevent oysters from building shells.
Higher levels of ozone in the
• ocean keep oysters from building shells.
Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.
Lower carbon levels mean that oysters do not have enough materials to build shells.
Increasingly acidic ocean water makes building shells more difficult.
The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is then absorbed by the ocean. This leads to ocean acidification, which in turn makes it more challenging for oysters to build their shells. As the acidity of the ocean increases, the oysters must expend more energy to create their shells, resulting in thinner and weaker shells. This trend in thinner oyster shells could be directly linked to the use of fossil fuels and the resulting ocean acidification.