Answer: A. Succession theory predicted exactly how Mount Saint Helens would recover.
Mount Saint Helens volcanic eruptions was an example of ecological succession after a catastrophic event that occurred in 1980. Charlie Crisafulli was a ecologists who visited the volcanic site along with his colleagues to collect ecological data. He noted the development of ecological relationships across the volcanic landmass. He documented the types, amounts and distribution of surviving organisms, which further took forward the responsibility of colonization in a destructed habitat. This was the example of secondary succession in which succession occurs after the natural calamity has disturbed the natural ecosystem. The species living there were able to colonize the landmass again after volcanic eruption. Therefore, the succession theory predicted exactly how Mount Saint Helens would recover.
According to this hypothesis that pillar coral digested zooxanthellae, the coral digested zooxanthellae inside the pillar coral must be dead. If anything is engulfed then it should be first dead inside the body of the predator and then the energy is extracted from the food. The food eaten serves as a source of energy.
