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Freshwater aquatic organisms are faced with the problem of preventing excessive uptake or retention of water.

a-true
b-false

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Final answer:

Freshwater organisms indeed face the problem of excessive water uptake due to their hypotonic environment and use adaptations like excreting dilute urine to manage osmoregulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Challenge of Water Regulation in Freshwater Organisms

It is true that freshwater aquatic organisms are faced with the problem of preventing excessive uptake or retention of water. These organisms live in a hypotonic environment where the concentration of solutes is lower outside their bodies than inside. Due to osmosis, water naturally tends to move from areas of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration, which in this case, is into the bodies of the organisms. To cope with these conditions, these organisms have developed various adaptations such as the excretion of dilute urine to expel water efficiently, thus maintaining an appropriate balance of solutes in their bodies.

Freshwater fish, for example, urinate frequently to handle the hypotonic surroundings and prevent their cells from taking in too much water, while plants have adaptations like leaf hairs and a waxy cuticle to minimize transpiration. Osmoregulation is vital for their survival, and they must regulate their internal conditions to ensure they do not swell and burst from the excessive internal water pressure. Some species, like salmon, demonstrate remarkable osmoregulatory adaptations as they transit from freshwater to saltwater environments, showcasing the complexity and efficiency of evolutionary solutions to environmental challenges.

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