The Data Were Collected from the Heterocytes of a Nitrogen-Fixing

Multiple Choice

The data were collected from the heterocytes of a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium inhabiting equatorial ponds. Study the graph below and choose the most likely explanation for the shape of the curve.

A) Enough O₂ enters heterocytes during hours of peak photosynthesis to have a somewhat-inhibitory affect on nitrogen fixation.
B) Light-dependent reaction rates must be highest between 1800 hours and 0600 hours.
C) Atmospheric N₂ levels increase at night because plants are no longer metabolizing this gas, so are not absorbing this gas through their stomata.
D) Heterocyte walls become less permeable to N₂ influx during darkness.
E) The amount of fixed nitrogen that is dissolved in the pond water in which the cyanobacteria are growing peaks at the close of the photosynthetic day (1800 h) .