Which statement below explains why the mussels in Mukkaw Bay were able to quickly cover the rockface in Paine’s experiment? a. The starfish took up most of the room on the rocks, and when the starfish were removed, the mussels occupied the empty spaces.
b. Paine added more mussels to the rocks, causing the starfish to move to other habitats.
c. The starfish were competing directly with the mussels for food, and removing the starfish allowed the mussels more access to the food.
d. Starfish feed on mussels, so when the starfish were removed the mussels no longer had a predator and their populations grew unchecked.