Peripheral would be the answer
The reason both of these are valid scientific hypotheses is because A) scientists with different educational backgrounds may put forth different hypotheses to explain the same data.
This approach in science is vital in making progress and has helped to explain many phenomena in the past. When scientists explain data using different approaches, they come to a more comprehensive conclusion.
I do not really know but i think that the answer is c but wait for other people
The answer would be decreases.
hope this helped :)