Deforestation significantly alters the population of an area by creati

It has more to do with meaning than grammar.

(A) in which few species and vegetation can survive
--vegetation cannot survive deforestation, some may survive but this sentence doesn't give us what is required.
(B) in which few species and little vegetation can survive
---makes sense . Should be the correct answer
(C) where little species and vegetation can survive
---completely distorts the meaning , little species ? ---rodents,ants what ?
(D) in which fewer species than vegetation can survive
---again distorts the meaning , species < vegetation
(E) where little species and few vegetation can survive
---little species ? and vegetation cannot be counted

Little refers to non-countable nouns & Few refers to countable nouns

Thus, Correct Answer must be (B)

KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

Whenever you see few underlined, look to see if it's used correctly. Remember that few is the correct adjective for things that can be counted. Species can be counted, so few is right in the first instance. Nevertheless, few is made to perform double duty, describing both species and, through ellipsis, vegetation. Vegetation cannot be counted so few is the wrong adjective for it, meaning you'll need a separate adjective for vegetation. Eliminate (A), and (C) and (E) as well, because little is an incorrect adjective for species, suggesting as it does more about size than number. The new comparative structure of (D) sidesteps the "few/less" issue, but in doing so it unnecessarily alters the meaning of the sentence. Eliminate it and (B) remains. (By the way, in which is slightly better than where because it's more formal, but there's nothing inherently wrong with where. Some differences aren't all that important.)

Is it acceptable to use in which for 'habitat'? Isn't that a physical location and where should be used?

Hello TalonShade,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "habitat in which" is a perfectly idiomatic phrase; remember, "where" can only be used to refer to locations, but locations are not always referred to with "where"; prepositions such as "in" are also used to refer to locations: for example, "I am in the city." or "Earth is the only planet on which there is life."

We hope this helps.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team