To understand how temperature change affects microorganism-mediated cycling of soil nutrients in alpine ecosystems, Eva Kaštovská et al. collected plant-soil cores in the Tatra Mountains at elevations around 2,100 meters and transplanted them to elevations of 1,700–1,800 meters, where the mean air temperature was warmer by 2°C. Microorganism-mediated nutrient cycling was accelerated in the transplanted cores; crucially, microorganism community composition was unchanged, allowing Kaštovská et al. to attribute the acceleration to temperature-induced increases in microorganism activity.
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Verbal·Information and Ideas·Inferences
hardIt can most reasonably be inferred from the text that the finding about the microorganism community composition was important for which reason?
A
It provided preliminary evidence that microorganism-mediated nutrient cycling was accelerated in the transplanted cores.
B
It suggested that temperature-induced changes in microorganism activity may be occurring at increasingly high elevations.
C
It ruled out a potential alternative explanation for the acceleration in microorganism-mediated nutrient cycling.
D
It clarified that microorganism activity levels in the plant-soil cores varied depending on which microorganisms comprised the community.