Estuaries are wetlands that form near the mouths of rivers along ocean coastlines. Many trees fail in estuaries, but mangroves are an exception. Mangroves are common in tropical estuaries, especially the Everglades of southern Florida. They thrive in the Everglades because
they tolerate much greater salinity levels than other plants do. They also have prop roots that support their weight in the Everglades soil. The
soil is wet and spongy, and often is covered in water.
While the adaptations of mangroves are ideal for the Everglades, they are less useful for other tropical regions, such as tropical rainforests
They can survive in these regions, but are less common there.
The evidence in the passage most strongly supports which of these explanations of the range of mangroves?
O A Mangroves depend on relatively warm temperatures
B. Mangroves depend on water of relatively high salinity.
С
Other trees outcompete mangroves in low-salinity environments
D. Other trees outcompete mangroves in high-salinity environments