Atmospheric carbon dioxide (C02) has been increasing since 1700

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Auclair's claim about carbon and the northern woodlands would be most seriously undermined if which of the following were true?

Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Auclair's claim in the passage relies on the argument that the northern woodlands have acted as a carbon sink since 1920, absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and turning it into wood. To undermine this claim, you would need to find information that suggests the northern woodlands were not acting as a carbon sink during this period. Let's evaluate the options:

A. This statement is consistent with the information provided in the passage and would not undermine Auclair's claim.

B. If the rate of tree growth continued to increase throughout the twentieth century, it would support, rather than undermine, Auclair's claim about the woodlands acting as a carbon sink after 1920.

C. This statement actually strengthens Auclair's claim, as it suggests an increase in carbon absorption by the woodlands, which is consistent with his argument.

D. This statement would seriously undermine Auclair's claim because it suggests that the woodlands were not acting as a carbon sink, as they were losing more carbon through rot and fires than they were absorbing.

E. This statement, if true, is consistent with the information in the passage regarding early-century losses from fires and logging, and it does not necessarily undermine Auclair's claim about the woodlands acting as a carbon sink after 1920.

The option that would most seriously undermine Auclair's claim is D. If the total volumes of wood lost to rot or fire exceeded the increases in wood volume during the twentieth century, it would challenge his assertion that the northern woodlands acted as a carbon sink during this period.

Answer: D