Which term refers to organisms that tolerate only a narrow range of salinities?

Which term refers to organisms that tolerate only a narrow range of salinities?

• A. Euryhaline
• B. Stenohaline
• C. Osmoregulator
• D. Halophile

Answer: (B)

Organisms differ in how they tolerate salinity, and some can only handle a small range of salinity levels. The term for those with a narrow tolerance is stenohaline—the prefix steno means narrow, and haline relates to salt. Because they’re limited to a small window of salinity, stenohaline species can struggle if the water becomes much saltier or much fresher than their usual environment. In contrast, euryhaline organisms can survive across a wide range of salinities, which is useful for species that move between different water types. Osmoregulators describe organisms that actively maintain their internal salt and water balance, but this describes the mechanism of regulation rather than the breadth of salinity tolerance. Halophiles thrive in high-salt environments, not necessarily indicating how narrowly they tolerate salinity changes. So, for tolerating only a narrow salinity range, the best term is stenohaline.

Organisms differ in how they tolerate salinity, and some can only handle a small range of salinity levels. The term for those with a narrow tolerance is stenohaline—the prefix steno means narrow, and haline relates to salt. Because they’re limited to a small window of salinity, stenohaline species can struggle if the water becomes much saltier or much fresher than their usual environment. In contrast, euryhaline organisms can survive across a wide range of salinities, which is useful for species that move between different water types. Osmoregulators describe organisms that actively maintain their internal salt and water balance, but this describes the mechanism of regulation rather than the breadth of salinity tolerance. Halophiles thrive in high-salt environments, not necessarily indicating how narrowly they tolerate salinity changes. So, for tolerating only a narrow salinity range, the best term is stenohaline.