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Question #46052
The Question
Ecologists often synthesize David Tilman’s long-term field experiments with Paul Ehrlich’s Rivet Popper hypothesis to explain the diversity-stability relationship. Based on these concepts, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
Options
- A.
Plots with higher species diversity exhibit less year-to-year variation in total biomass, analogous to an airplane maintaining structural integrity despite losing a few non-critical rivets.
- B.
The extinction of a key species driving major ecosystem functions is analogous to losing a rivet on the airplane wing, leading to a rapid and catastrophic ecosystem collapse.
- C.
Ecosystem stability and total biomass decline in a strictly linear manner with the loss of each species, as every 'rivet' contributes equally to the ecosystem's survival.
- D.
High species richness provides functional redundancy, ensuring that the loss of a few 'rivets' from less critical ecological niches does not immediately compromise overall ecosystem stability.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Diversity-Stability Relationship|Inverted Biomass Pyramids|Trophic Efficiency Limits
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often misinterpret the general rule 'more species equals more stability' as a linear mathematical relationship.
The trap relies on failing to recognize that the Rivet Popper hypothesis specifically introduces 'functional redundancy' and 'unequal importance' of species.
Stability follows a threshold-based decay (where the system absorbs minor losses until a critical 'wing rivet' is popped), rather than a strict linear decline where every species contributes equally.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biodiversity and Conservation - Class 12 |
| Concept | Rivet Popper Hypothesis |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |