The Abundance of Cyanobacterial Mats Has Greatly Declined Due to the Evolution

Question

The abundance of cyanobacterial mats has greatly declined due to the evolution of
A) antimicrobial-producing fungi.
B) bacteriophages.
C) animal grazers.
D) Proteobacteria.

Accepted Answer

Cyanobacterial mats are often consumed by animal grazers, leading to a decline in their abundance. This is supported by research that has found that grazing by snails, gastropods, and other invertebrates significantly reduces the biomass and diversity of cyanobacterial mats. Antimicrobial-producing fungi, bacteriophages, and Proteobacteria may play a role in shaping microbial communities, but there is no evidence to suggest that they are the primary drivers of the decline in cyanobacterial mats.