The fecal-steroidal profile of moose is clearly distinct from that of other ungulates, including bison and elk. By contrast, bison dung cannot be distinguished from elk dung based solely on their fecal-steroidal profiles, as both contain similar levels of beta-sitosterol and cholestanone, among other sterols. However, levels of other taxa-specific digestive by-products, such as cholic acid, can be used to help differentiate between bison and elk samples.
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hardWhich statement about bison and elk dung samples is best supported by the text?
A
They are distinct from each other with respect to both cholestanone and cholic acid content, but bison and moose samples cannot be distinguished from each other based solely on levels of digestive by-products.
B
They are distinct from each other with respect to cholic acid content but cannot otherwise be distinguished from moose samples based solely on levels of digestive by-products.
C
They are more distinct with respect to beta-sitosterol content than they are with respect to cholic acid content.
D
They are less distinct with respect to their steroidal profiles than they are with respect to some other digestive by-products.