Which factor is primarily responsible for the division of bacterial populations into specific zones within sediments?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: free oxygen availability. In sediment environments, free oxygen availability plays a crucial role in determining bacterial population distribution due to oxygen gradients. Bacteria that require oxygen will be found in aerobic zones where oxygen is present, while anaerobic bacteria will thrive in zones with limited or no oxygen. This division is primarily responsible for the spatial organization of bacterial populations within sediments.
Choice A: Predation by protozoans is not primarily responsible for division of bacterial populations within sediments as it focuses on interactions between different organisms rather than the environmental factor of oxygen availability.
Choice C: While competition for suitable electron acceptors is important for microbial communities, it is not the primary factor responsible for the division of bacterial populations within sediments.
Choice D: Cometabolism of organic compounds refers to the metabolism of compounds alongside the primary substrate, and it is not directly related to the spatial distribution of bacterial populations within sediments based on oxygen availability.