There was a mass extinction of plants and animals at the end of the permian period 250 million years ago. which of the following would be a reasonable prediction for the fungal fossil record? a. there should be a massive increase in saprophytic fossils during the extinction, and then a massive decline shortly after the extinction was complete. b. there should be a massive increase in mycorrhizal fossils during the extinction and few afterward. c. there should be a massive decrease in all fungal fossils just prior to the time that plant and animal species started to decline, and the number of these fossils should remain low throughout the extinction period. d. there should be a slow increase in all fungal fossils during the time that plant and animal species declined, with their numbers staying relatively high after ward since there was little competition from other species.