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Question #46091
The Question
Paul Ehrlich’s 'Rivet Popper Hypothesis' compares an ecosystem to an airplane. If an ecosystem with exceptionally high species richness undergoes a sudden functional collapse after the extinction of just one species, which of the following is the most accurate deduction based on this hypothesis?
Options
- A.
The ecosystem had low species redundancy, making every species a critical 'rivet' for ecosystem functioning.
- B.
The extinct species was analogous to a 'rivet on the airplane wing', proving that functional keystone roles dictate stability more than mere taxonomic diversity.
- C.
The extinction triggered the 'rivet popper' effect where the loss of a redundant species on the 'seats' cascaded into the loss of key functional groups.
- D.
High species richness inherently destabilizes food webs, making the ecosystem highly sensitive to the loss of any single 'rivet'.
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
Captive_Breeding|Species_Area_Relationship|Z_value_in_Large_Areas
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often assume that high species richness (taxonomic diversity) guarantees ecosystem stability due to redundancy.
The trap lies in failing to distinguish between the qualitative functional weight of a species (wing rivet/keystone) versus quantitative richness.
The question tests the nuance that systemic collapse can occur in highly diverse systems if a critical trophic link is broken.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Biodiversity and Conservation - Class 12 |
| Concept | Ex-situ Conservation Techniques |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |