What was the purpose of the experiment conducted by Garza and Robles?

• A. To measure growth rates of sea stars under varying light.
• B. To compare sea stars with fish in the same tank.
• C. To determine salinity tolerance of sea stars.
• D. To observe the behavior of sea stars in different water conditions at night.

Answer: (D)

The purpose is to see how sea stars behave when the water conditions change, especially during the night. Behavioral studies focus on actions like movement, feeding, and responses to changes, rather than measuring growth or survival. Observing them at night emphasizes nocturnal activity and how they react to environmental factors in that time frame. If the goal were about growth, you’d look for size changes over time; if it were about salinity tolerance, you’d track survival under different salinities; if it were a comparison with fish, you’d be contrasting two species. So focusing on observing behavior under varying water conditions at night best captures the study’s aim.