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Question #46035
The Question
Ecologists use various hypotheses and experiments to understand the diversity-stability relationship in ecosystems. Based on Paul Ehrlich’s Rivet Popper hypothesis and standard ecological principles, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
Options
- A.
The extinction of a keystone species, analogous to losing a rivet on an airplane wing, triggers a non-linear, catastrophic collapse of ecosystem functioning.
- B.
David Tilman’s outdoor plot experiments demonstrated that increased species richness contributes to higher productivity and lesser year-to-year variation in total biomass.
- C.
The decline in ecosystem stability is always strictly linear and directly proportional to the decrease in species richness, as every species contributes equally to ecosystem resilience.
- D.
The experimental removal of the keystone predator Pisaster from the American Pacific coast resulted in the extinction of more than 10 species of invertebrates within a year due to interspecific competition.
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
Species Area Relationship|Z-value in Large Areas|Biodiversity
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: The 'Quantitative Nuance' trap.
Students often assume the general rule 'more species = more stability' implies a strictly linear mathematical relationship.
They miss the core nuance of the Rivet Popper hypothesis: species have unequal functional weights (wing vs. seat rivets).
Therefore, ecosystem collapse is often non-linear and threshold-dependent, accelerating drastically only when a critical keystone species is lost.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biodiversity and Conservation - Class 12 |
| Concept | Global Species Diversity Patterns |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |