Marine biologist Dr. Sofia Rossi and her team investigated the resilience of two key Caribbean reef-building coral species, *Acropora cervicornis* and *Porites astreoides*, under elevated sea surface temperatures. Corals rely on calcification to build their calcium carbonate skeletons, a process that is often impaired by thermal stress. Rossi hypothesized that while both species would exhibit reduced calcification rates when exposed to heat stress, the structurally denser *Porites astreoides* would demonstrate greater thermal tolerance, maintaining a significantly higher calcification rate than *Acropora cervicornis* at elevated temperatures.
Mean Calcification Rates of Two Coral Species at Different Temperatures:
| Coral species | Calcification rate at () | Calcification rate at () |
|---|---|---|
| *Acropora cervicornis* | ||
| *Porites astreoides* |
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support Dr. Rossi's hypothesis?
- AUnder baseline conditions of , the calcification rate of *Acropora cervicornis* was , which was higher than the rate of for *Porites astreoides*.
- At , the calcification rate of *Porites astreoides* was , whereas the rate for *Acropora cervicornis* was .Cevap
- CAt , the calcification rate of *Acropora cervicornis* was , whereas the rate for *Porites astreoides* was .
- DAt , the calcification rate of *Porites astreoides* was , suggesting that its denser skeletal structure will allow it to expand its habitat range as ocean temperatures rise.