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Question #46084
The Question
Sacred groves in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills often serve as the last refugia for highly threatened endemic flora. If such a grove is cleared, leading to the extinction of a specific endemic plant and its obligate mycorrhizal fungi, which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding the ecological principles involved?
Options
- A.
The simultaneous loss of the plant and its associated fungi exemplifies co-extinction, a key driver of biodiversity loss categorized under the 'Evil Quartet'.
- B.
The destruction of the sacred grove represents the failure of an ex-situ conservation strategy, which is specifically designed to protect such obligate mutualists.
- C.
According to Paul Ehrlich's Rivet Popper hypothesis, the endemic plant functions as a critical 'rivet' on the airplane wing, whose removal disproportionately threatens ecosystem safety.
- D.
The extinction of the fungi occurs because obligate mutualists lack alternative host refugia, leading to an immediate structural collapse of their specific niche.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
Sacred Groves as Refugia|Alien Species Invasion Impacts|Species-Area Relationship
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize complex ecological concepts like the 'Evil Quartet' and 'Rivet Popper Hypothesis' but fail to correctly classify 'Sacred Groves' under 'in-situ' vs 'ex-situ' conservation.
The trap relies on burying a fundamental classification error (calling a sacred grove ex-situ) within complex, scientifically accurate ecological jargon about mutualism and co-extinction.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biodiversity and Conservation - Class 12 |
| Concept | Sacred Groves as Refugia |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |