|Question 5Verbal

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Pteropods are small swimming snails with thin, delicate calcium carbonate shells. These animals are thought to be especially vulnerable to ocean acidification due to calcium carbonate's susceptibility to dissolution at lower pH values. Victoria L. Peck and colleagues recently found that the periostracum (a protective coating on pteropods' outer shells) prevents this dissolution when intact. Moreover, the team was surprised to discover that even when the periostracum is breached, pteropods can still mitigate damage by rebuilding the inner shell wall.
Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?
To call for additional research on biological mechanisms that improve pteropod survival rates
A
To address some of the ways ocean acidification has altered pteropod behavior over time
B
To discuss a conclusion drawn in a study of calcium carbonate's role in protecting the periostracum of pteropods
C
To present findings that suggest that a concern about the effects of ocean acidification on pteropod shells may be unwarranted
D