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Extinction is a process that can depend on a variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables. These variables affect different species of organisms in different ways, and should, therefore, yield a random pattern of extinctions. However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite pattern, with many species vanishing at the same time.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
18 Aug 2014, 21:54
Kudos
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sasha40612
Can any one give a power-score cr bible explanation for this paradox question ?
Extinction is a process that can depend on a variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables. These variables affect different species of organisms in different ways, and should, therefore, yield a random pattern of extinctions. However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite pattern, with many species vanishing at the same time.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?
QUESTION TYPE:
Explain – We need to find an answer that resolves the mystery.
FACTS:
1) Extinctions should be random because various factors should affect species randomly
2) Extinctions are NOT random---they happen in clusters, wiping out many species at once
GOAL:
Find an answer that explains how despite random factors, many species are wiped out in big clusters at once
A. Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
Yes! Think asteroid, or mega-volcano. There’s some sort event that takes down swathes of species.
B. Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
This contradicts the second fact. Don’t we know that many species are wiped out at once? So this answer that species with particular characteristics are selectively wiped out would intensify the mystery.
C. Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
This answer only addresses specific single species extinctions, AND that they happen gradually over time. That makes this answer wrong for two reasons. A gradual extinction affecting some species is not the type of extinction the question deals with.
D. In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
This answer flat out announces that it addresses circumstances separate from those in the prompt. Boot it.
E. Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct
This is an interesting fact, but it’s completely off-topic. Does the fact that species that are widely dispersed are least likely to become extinct at all reconcile how species go extinct in clusters? No. Its gone too.
A is our answer.
18 Oct 2021, 00:03
Kudos
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Juaz
Extinction is a process that can depend on a variety of ecological, geographical, and physiological variables. These variables affect different species of organisms in different ways, and should, therefore, yield a random pattern of extinctions. However, the fossil record shows that extinction occurs in a surprisingly definite pattern, with many species vanishing at the same time.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
Which of the following, if true, forms the best basis for at least a partial explanation of the patterned extinctions revealed by the fossil record?
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
There is a paradox here: Extinction depends on lots of factors that are different for different species (their geography, their physiology etc). Still we see many species vanishing at the same time. Why?
(A) Major episodes of extinction can result from widespread environmental disturbances that affect numerous different species.
Major widespread environmental disturbances (environmental issues covering many geographies) affect many different species at the same time. Hence this could explain why many species become extinct together. So say an Earth wide warming could affect many species and cause their extinction within a few years. Hence, this is the answer.
(B) Certain extinction episodes selectively affect organisms with particular sets of characteristics unique to their species.
This tells us that effect is selective on organisms based on their unique characteristics. It does not explain why many organisms get affected together. They should not if the effect is selective.
(C) Some species become extinct because of accumulated gradual changes in their local environments.
This talks about "some species" and their "local environment". Hence it does not explain widespread effect to many species
(D) In geologically recent times, for which there is no fossil record, human intervention has changed the pattern of extinctions.
This tells us that we have changed the pattern of extinctions. The argument questions why there is a pattern of extinctions to begin with. Whether it is changing and how and because of whom are all irrelevant discussions.
Our point is - why does a widespread pattern of extinction exist? Many species have been getting affected simultaneously for millions of years (as per fossil records). Why do these species get affected at the same time?
For recent times, we don't even have fossil records and our argument is not discussing these times. We are discussing the times for which we have fossil records. Hence (D) is out of scope.
(E) Species that are widely dispersed are the least likely to become extinct.
This tells us what kind of species would be least likely to get affected simultaneously. It doesn't provide us the explanation we are seeking.
Answer (A)
