Which one of the following statements with regard to growth of coral reefs is not correct?

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Q: 21 (CDS-II/2018)

Which one of the following statements with regard to growth of coral reefs is not correct?

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

CDS-II

stats: 

0,54,16,54,3,6,7

keywords: 

{'coral reefs': [2, 0, 0, 6], 'coral': [3, 0, 0, 3], 'growth': [1, 1, 1, 0], 'photosynthesis': [20, 0, 4, 11], 'shallow saltwater': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'freshwater': [0, 0, 0, 6]}

The correct answer is option 1: "Coral can grow abundantly in freshwater." This statement is not correct because coral cannot grow abundantly in freshwater. Coral reefs require specific conditions to thrive, and one of these conditions is the presence of saltwater. Coral cannot survive in freshwater environments because they have adapted to rely on the symbiotic relationship with algae called zooxanthellae, which require saltwater to survive. Additionally, coral reef ecosystems depend on the availability of the necessary minerals and nutrients found in saltwater.

Option 2 states that coral requires warm water between 23°C-25°C, which is correct. Coral reefs are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, where the water temperatures fall within this range. Extremely high or low temperatures can stress or kill coral, so a specific temperature range is necessary for their growth.

Option 3 states that coral requires shallow saltwater, not deeper than 50 meters, which is also correct. Coral requires sunlight to aid photosynthesis, and light can only penetrate to a certain depth in the ocean. Therefore, coral reefs are typically found in shallow areas where sunlight can reach the algae living within the coral.

Option 4 states that coral requires plenty of sunlight to aid photosynthesis, which is correct. Coral relies on

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