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Hi adipadi,
Great question! I think the confusion here stems from a misreading of what option C actually says. Let me break it down.
Option C states: 'It is likely to be more accurate than the biological clocks of species that do not face such intense environmental pressures.' This choice is NOT saying the clock is influenced by both environmental and biological factors. Instead, it's making a comparison: the diatom's biological clock is probably MORE accurate BECAUSE these organisms face such extreme survival pressure.
Now, the passage absolutely does mention a biological factor — the 'internal biological clock, or pacemaker, that programs their periodic behavior.' That IS the biological element. The passage describes how commuter diatoms must burrow at precisely the right time with each tidal cycle or risk being 'washed out to sea.' This is the intense environmental pressure option C refers to.
Key Insight: Here's the inference chain that makes C correct:
- The passage tells us commuter diatoms face life-or-death timing pressure (get it wrong = washed out to sea)
- They possess an internal biological clock driving this behavior
- From this, we can infer that natural selection would favor an extremely accurate clock in these organisms — more accurate than in species that don't face such critical timing demands
Why are the other choices wrong?
- A ('varies with the tidal cycle') — Trap! The passage says the clock's period stays the same; environmental factors merely reset it, like resetting a wristwatch without changing its speed.
- B ('rare among intertidal species') — The passage never discusses how common or rare such clocks are among other species.
- D ('more accurate due to the consistency of the tidal cycle') — This reverses the logic. The passage doesn't say the tidal cycle's consistency makes the clock more accurate. Rather, it's the survival pressure that implies accuracy.
- E ('fluctuates under variable laboratory conditions') — The passage says the opposite: under constant lab conditions, diatoms 'still display periodic behavior, continuing to burrow on schedule for several weeks.'
Answer: C
Great question! I think the confusion here stems from a misreading of what option C actually says. Let me break it down.
Option C states: 'It is likely to be more accurate than the biological clocks of species that do not face such intense environmental pressures.' This choice is NOT saying the clock is influenced by both environmental and biological factors. Instead, it's making a comparison: the diatom's biological clock is probably MORE accurate BECAUSE these organisms face such extreme survival pressure.
Now, the passage absolutely does mention a biological factor — the 'internal biological clock, or pacemaker, that programs their periodic behavior.' That IS the biological element. The passage describes how commuter diatoms must burrow at precisely the right time with each tidal cycle or risk being 'washed out to sea.' This is the intense environmental pressure option C refers to.
Key Insight: Here's the inference chain that makes C correct:
- The passage tells us commuter diatoms face life-or-death timing pressure (get it wrong = washed out to sea)
- They possess an internal biological clock driving this behavior
- From this, we can infer that natural selection would favor an extremely accurate clock in these organisms — more accurate than in species that don't face such critical timing demands
Why are the other choices wrong?
- A ('varies with the tidal cycle') — Trap! The passage says the clock's period stays the same; environmental factors merely reset it, like resetting a wristwatch without changing its speed.
- B ('rare among intertidal species') — The passage never discusses how common or rare such clocks are among other species.
- D ('more accurate due to the consistency of the tidal cycle') — This reverses the logic. The passage doesn't say the tidal cycle's consistency makes the clock more accurate. Rather, it's the survival pressure that implies accuracy.
- E ('fluctuates under variable laboratory conditions') — The passage says the opposite: under constant lab conditions, diatoms 'still display periodic behavior, continuing to burrow on schedule for several weeks.'
Answer: C
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