Question ID:PT57 S3 Q7 Passage:Scientists removed all viruses from a seawater sample and then measured the growth rate of the plankton population in the water. They expected the rate to increase dramatically, but the population actually got smaller. Stem:Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the unexpected result described above? Correct Answer Choice:CChoice A:Viruses in seawater help to keep the plankton population below the maximum level that the resources in the water will support. Choice B:Plankton and viruses in seawater compete for some of the same nutrients. Choice C:Plankton utilize the nutrients released by the death of organisms killed by viruses. Choice D:The absence of viruses can facilitate the flourishing of bacteria that sometimes damage other organisms. Choice E:At any given time, a considerable portion of the plankton in seawater are already infected by viruses.