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I totally agree with option D.

Just need more clarification on option C. The word "may", is it safe to say that conservationist motives are out of scope. ?
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A study on coral reef restoration in the Caribbean has revealed that contrary to the expectations of some conservationists, manually transplanting coral fragments often disrupts the natural regrowth process and can lead to higher rates of coral bleaching. The study examined six reef zones, both transplanted and non-transplanted, all of which had experienced damage from a recent hurricane. Natural coral recruitment resulted in approximately 45 juvenile corals per square meter, surpassing the anticipated density from artificial planting efforts. However, the manual transplantation process dislodged 63 percent of the newly established juvenile corals, reducing the overall density to just 17 per square meter.

Additionally, the study found that transplanted corals showed a 40 percent higher likelihood of bleaching within the first year compared to naturally established coral. This was attributed to increased physical stress during the transplantation process, which exposed the coral to higher light intensity and disrupted symbiotic algae crucial for coral health. Efforts to anchor transplanted coral with artificial structures reduced immediate dislodgement but created localized shading, further limiting growth.

The researchers suggested that the most sustainable method for reef recovery might be to protect damaged areas from fishing and tourism, allowing natural recruitment to progress undisturbed. Over time, this approach could foster a more resilient coral population, with gradual regrowth better adapted to the local environment than manually transplanted coral fragments.

The authors of the study described in the passage would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

A. Manual transplantation of coral fragments is preferable to allowing natural coral recruitment in reefs damaged by hurricanes.
B. Creating artificial structures to anchor transplanted coral is the most effective way to ensure long-term reef recovery.
C. Conservationists advocating for coral transplantation may overlook the potential negative impacts on natural coral regrowth.
D. Manually transplanting coral fragments increases physical stress on the coral, raising the likelihood of bleaching.
E. Coral reefs damaged by hurricanes should undergo manual transplantation only if natural recruitment does not occur.

A) Incorrect
The passage says natural recruitment produced more juvenile corals per square meter than manual transplantation.
B) Incorrect
Artificial structures reduced early dislodgement, but the passage also says they caused shading that limited growth.
C) Incorrect
The study defied expectations, but it does not claim that advocates of transplantation overlook the downsides.
D) Correct
The passage reports a 40% higher likelihood of bleaching in manually transplanted coral due to added physical stress.
E) Incorrect
The passage supports protecting damaged areas from human activity to foster natural regrowth. It does not present transplantation as a conditional last resort.


Answer: D
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Hi,

Let me try to help out with this one:
The word may does not make option C safe. Even with this qualifier, the statement still attributes a lapse in awareness or judgment to conservationists, which the passage never discusses. The authors focus on empirical outcomes of transplantation, not on conservationists reasoning, motives, or advocacy.

Hope this helps! :)
liberoasperiores
I totally agree with option D.

Just need more clarification on option C. The word "may", is it safe to say that conservationist motives are out of scope. ?

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Thank you for clarifying. !!
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Hi,

Let me try to help out with this one:
The word may does not make option C safe. Even with this qualifier, the statement still attributes a lapse in awareness or judgment to conservationists, which the passage never discusses. The authors focus on empirical outcomes of transplantation, not on conservationists reasoning, motives, or advocacy.

Hope this helps! :)

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