Question

in 2013 bridie j. m. allan and colleagues published a study concluding that ocean acidification has a strong effect on the behavior of pomacentrus amboinensis, a species of fish. however, allan and colleagues study relied on a mean sample size of only about 18 fish. in a 2022 review of various scientists conclusions about the impacts of ocean acidification on fish behavior, josefín sundin and colleagues caution that relying on such a relatively small sample size can increase the potential for biased analysis. such analysis, in turn, can contribute to reports of exaggerated effects. which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole? a it introduces a detail about allan and colleagues study that is addressed in the sentences that follow. b o it offers an alternative explanation for the behavior of pomacentrus amboinensis that is described in the previous sentence. c it emphasizes the threat of ocean acidification to pomacentrus amboinensis that is mentioned in the previous sentence. d it states the conclusion reached by allan and colleagues that is elaborated on in the d sentences that follow.

Explanation:

The underlined sentence presents a detail (small sample size) about Allan and colleagues' study. The following sentences (mentioning Sundin and colleagues' caution about small sample size leading to biased analysis and exaggerated effects) address this detail. Option A is correct as it accurately describes the function. Option B is wrong as there's no alternative explanation for fish behavior. Option C is incorrect as it doesn't emphasize the threat of ocean acidification. Option D is wrong as it's not the conclusion of Allan and colleagues' study but a detail about their study.

Answer:

A. It introduces a detail about Allan and colleagues' study that is addressed in the sentences that follow.