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Question #46074
The Question
In a highly diverse terrestrial ecosystem, a sudden environmental shift causes prolonged soil anaerobiosis and an accumulation of detritus rich in lignin and chitin. Based on David Tilman’s long-term ecosystem experiments and the principles of nutrient cycling, which of the following represents the most likely sequential impact on the ecosystem?
Options
- A.
The rate of decomposition drastically decreases, leading to nutrient immobility, which subsequently reduces primary productivity and compromises the ecosystem's stability.
- B.
Anaerobiosis accelerates the process of leaching and catabolism, causing a nutrient surge that increases year-to-year variation in total biomass.
- C.
The high lignin content promotes rapid mineralization by saprophytes, enhancing nutrient cycling and reinforcing the in-situ protective buffer of the ecosystem.
- D.
Nutrient immobilization within the microbial biomass increases immediately, leading to higher primary productivity and greater ecosystem resilience.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Regulatory_Failure
Understand how NOT, EXCEPT, and logical constraints are used to manipulate exam results.
Concepts Behind This Question
In-situ Conservation (Hotspots)|Alien Species Invasion Impacts|Species-Area Relationship
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often study decomposition modifiers (Ecosystem chapter) and Tilman's diversity-stability hypothesis (Biodiversity chapter) in isolation.
This question requires synthesizing both: recognizing that abiotic factors (anaerobiosis) and chemical composition (lignin/chitin) halt nutrient cycling, which in turn starves producers and breaks the biological blueprint of ecosystem stability.
A common misconception is confusing nutrient immobilization with a positive conservation of nutrients, whereas it actually causes a temporary deficit for primary producers.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biodiversity and Conservation - Class 12 |
| Concept | In-situ Conservation (Hotspots) |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |