Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods an

Question

Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods and services which have economic value and therefore satisfy human wants, directly /or indirectly. Because of their socioeconomic importance, wetlands have attracted significant portions of human populations who survive by exploiting their resources, through different resource utilization activities, often driven by economic and financial motives. This has resulted in the degradation and modification of these valuable sources of natural capital. This situation arises out of the fact that wetlands are perceived to have little or no economic value, coupled with the fact that no formal markets exist for their services to humanity. Consequently, wetland conservation is not seen as a serious alternative compared to other uses that seem to yield more tangible and immediate economic benefits.

Directly, wetlands are sources of water supply and other products such as fish and plant resources, clay, papyrus, sand and they are also centers of recreation, whilst indirectly, they perform environmental functions vital to the maintenance and protection of human systems through services like the preservation of water quality, flood attenuation, nutrient retention, ground water recharge and climatic regulation. For example, wetlands support subsistence agricultural activities that sustain livelihoods especially for the poverty stricken rural and urban population. Because these services do not involve human interaction, their importance to the society is significantly unnoticed.

As wetlands become degraded, livelihood and communities welfare become progressively weakened, yet local communities in the wetlands are unlikely to conserve them in the course of their production activities. Economic incentives present a valuable tool for both nature conservation and sustainable livelihood. Such approaches should include the use of direct economic incentives that include property rights (in form of leases, or concessions) that enable the formation of conditions under which communities will benefit from the wetlands and therefore have a stake in their conservation, performance bonds or subsidies upon environmentally friendly activities. Where incentives fail to change people's behavior in promoting sustainable wetland utilization, then disincentives should be used. These may include taxes, charges, fees, fines for unacceptable levels of degradation and tradable permits to local level land holders who prefer to give up their lands in wetlands to unsustainable wetland utilization activities.   1  B 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. Highlight the importance of a natural resource in the everyday lives of local people
B. Discuss the economic significance of a natural resource and suggest ways to conserve it
C. Describe how human activities have led to the degradation and modification of wetlands
D. Outline ways by which local communities can play a role in the conservation of natural capital
E. Evaluate the direct and indirect economic value that wetlands offer human populations

2 
 D 
 2. According to the passage, each of the following is a benefit that wetlands offer human populations, EXCEPT

A. Preservation of water quality
B. Supply of water
C. Leisure and tourism
D. Prevention of soil erosion
E. Plant and mineral resources

3 
 C 
 3. The author of the passage is most likely to endorse which of the following proposals for the conservation of wetlands?

A. Carrying out regional awareness campaigns of wetland economic values as one way of demonstrating their contribution to the local and national economy
B. Conducting economic valuation studies of wetlands to highlight the benefits of wetlands conservation
C. Levying charges equivalent to the total estimated costs of wetland degradation on unsustainable wetland use
D. Strengthening of community livelihood enhancement measures in order to reduce reliance on wetland resources
E. Development of innovative funding mechanisms for wetland conservation and management

ArtVandaley · Answer

An easy one. Not sure about the 3rd question though.

I will go with E instead of C

Posted from my mobile device

anand.prakash90 · Answer

Kindly explain the question 2 as I have not seen anything mentioned or inferred of Leisure or tourism.

Thanks

Skywalker18 · Answer

Hi  anand.prakash90@gmail.com

2. According to the passage, each of the following is a benefit that wetlands offer human populations, EXCEPT

A. Preservation of water quality- incorrect
B. Supply of water- incorrect; wetlands are sources of water supply
C. Leisure and tourism- incorrect; they are also centers of recreation
D. Prevention of soil erosion- Correct
E. Plant and mineral resources- incorrect; plant resources, clay, papyrus,

Directly, wetlands are sources of water supply and other products such as fish and plant resources, clay, papyrus, sand and they are also centers of recreation, whilst indirectly, they perform environmental functions vital to the maintenance and protection of human systems through services like the preservation of water quality, flood attenuation, nutrient retention, ground water recharge and climatic regulation.

Hope this helps!

globaldesi · Answer

Official explanation

1. OA: B

Each paragraph of the passage focuses on a different thing – para 1 is about the significance of wetlands and how they are degraded by humans; para 2 is on the specific direct and indirect economic benefits they offer; para 3 is about how we can conserve them. So, the overall purpose of the passage is to highlight the economic benefits of this natural resource, and suggest ways to preserve it.

A: The passage doesn't talk about the role of wetlands in the everyday life of people

C: How human activities have degraded wetlands is not mentioned. It is just stated that human activities have degraded wetlands.

D: This is not the primary focus – it is only a part.

E: The passage is not evaluating the economic value – it is describing it. 'Evaluate' means 'assess' – here, statements are made, but no evaluations.

2. OA: D

A: line 14

B: line 11

C: line 11 (recreation is mentioned)

D: not mentioned

E: line 11

3. OA: C

Look at the third paragraph – the author is talking primarily about economic measures to conserve wetlands – while all the other proposals maybe effective, we don't know whether the author will agree with them. Based on information shared in the passage, he is most likely to endorse an economic measure, as mentioned in option C.

Annababa · Answer

READ last few lines it clearly mention about levying taxes

Nipungupta9081 · Answer

Easy Passage

Passage 1 - How wetlands are a major source of economic value for people . How people survive by exploiting these resources . Which has also led to rise in population => lead to degradation of Natural resources there.

Passage 2 - This passage just talks about which services wet lands provide .

Passage 3 - Talks about the degradation and how we should conserve them.

Q1. The primary purpose of the passage is to -

B. Discuss the economic significance of a natural resource and suggest ways to conserve it -  Para 1 & 2 majorly talks about Natural resources and how they are important Economically , Para 3 talks about The ways.

Q2. According to the passage, each of the following is a benefit that wetlands offer human populations, EXCEPT

D. Prevention of soil erosion -  Nothing about Soil Erosion is mentioned

Q3. The author of the passage is most likely to endorse which of the following proposals for the conservation of wetlands?

C. Levying charges equivalent to the total estimated costs of wetland degradation on unsustainable wetland use -  Clearly mentioned in last 4-5 lines of last Para.

sssanskaar · Answer

Not completely satisfied with option C in the last question (Question 3).

Can not negate option A. Although C is stated in the last lines of the passage, there are portions in the passage which suggest that the primary reason for the degradation of the wetlands is the incorrect perception of people about the economic value of wetlands.

" This situation arises out of the fact that wetlands are perceived to have little or no economic value, coupled with the fact that no formal markets exist for their services to humanity. "

"Because these services do not involve human interaction, their importance to the society is significantly unnoticed."

Experts, please help.  sayantanc2k   GMATNinja   DmitryFarber

DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

sssanskaar

I found this one a little iffy as well. I think we can agree that C is the strongest answer, since the author stresses economic incentives and disincentives, and specifically mentions charges. However, the wrong answers should all be clearly wrong. For an author agreement question, that should mean that for each answer, we should be able to see clearly either that we do not not have enough info to assess the author's attitude or that the author would actually disagree with the statement. We could argue that several of the answers seem fairly consistent with the author's position, and A seems directly supported by the portions you cited. I'd still say that the credited answer wins, but the other answers need a rewrite.

Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods an

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Wetlands are associated with important functions that provide goods an

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards