A recent study by researchers from the University of New South Wales

Question

A recent study by researchers from the University of New South Wales states that attempting to find ways to coexist with the animal kingdom’s top predators could save the world’s ecosystems from unforeseen detrimental effects. Impacts of declining predator populations may be felt at the regional level — the areas in which these species currently reside — but could also cause climate changes because of environmental instability. Although top predators, such as lions, wolves, and leopards, may pose threats to humans and livestock, as well as their wild mammalian prey, the loss of these animals due to competition for food among each other and land with the expansion of civilization has a significant cascading outcome on ecosystems.

Researchers pointed to the treatment of dingoes in Australia as an example of this impact. Because of rampant destruction of livestock populations in many heavy sheep-grazing regions of the country, adingo-proof fence was erected to keep them out. However, the lack of dingoes in certain areas led to an increase in the fox population, which concurrently led to a number of smaller mammalian species becoming extinct because they are preyed upon by foxes. Conversely, the kangaroo population has flourished due to the lack of dingoes, which has disrupted the vegetation and ecology of certain plant species, such as grasses. Although no specific solution was provided in the study for how to address these issues, the introduction of other techniques, such as guard dogs, could allow dingoes to remain in an area without posing a threat to economic endeavors.    1 
 1. The author is most likely addressing this passage to

(A) animal rights groups.
(B) teachers.
(C) land developers.
(D) policymakers.
(E) zoo owners.

2  
 2. The function of the second paragraph is to

(A) highlight the dingo population in Australia.
(B) showcase a fail-proof system of predator management.
(C) provide an example of how ecosystems and animal populations change due to predator activity.
(D) provide an example of how not to manage predatory behavior in Australia.
(E) provide an example of what will happen if other regions do not take the same measures Australia did against the dingoes.

3 
 3. The conclusion that can be reached from the discussion about dingo-proof fences is that

(A) the use of dingo-proof fences is inhumane because dingoes no longer have the food they need to survive.
(B) kangaroos are a bigger problem than dingoes in Australia.
(C) dingo-proof fences improved the stability of the sheep-herding industry.
(D) dingoes don’t hunt kangaroos.
(E) the dingo-proof fences help to protect the livestock, but they create other subsequent negative consequences.

4  
 4. According to the passage, why is it important to protect the world’s ecosystems?

(A) Because changes to the Earth’s physical environment can lead to changes in the synthesis of environmental processes, leading to climate change and other detrimental effects.
(B) Because the environment is the most important thing to humankind.
(C) Because ecosystems must remain stagnant so all species are able to thrive.
(D) Because changes in ecosystems lead to changes in how humans manage the environment, which could have detrimental effects on animal populations.
(E) Because top predators rely on the ecosystems to find their prey.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Passage Map:

Paragraph 1: 
-Study claims predator coexistence can save ecosystems from unforeseen harm.
-Declining predator populations cause regional impacts and potential climate changes.
-Predators (lions, wolves, leopards) threaten humans/livestock but their loss leads to cascading ecological effects.

Paragraph 2: 
Dingo-proof fence built to protect sheep grazing areas.

Consequences of dingo removal:

-Increase in foxes ---> extinction of smaller mammals.
-Increase in kangaroos ---> disruption of vegetation.
-Suggested solution: non-lethal methods to allow coexis

Summary:

A recent study argues that coexisting with top predators such as lions, wolves, and leopards is vital to prevent damaging cascading effects on ecosystems and climate. Though these predators threaten livestock and people, their removal disrupts ecological balance. In Australia, dingo-proof fencing led to overpopulation of foxes (wiping out small mammals) and kangaroos (damaging vegetation). While the study offers no definite solution, it suggests non-lethal strategies like guard dogs could help maintain predator presence without economic loss.

Doleshh · Answer

Can anyone please provide the explaination for question 4?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. According to the passage, why is it important to protect the world’s ecosystems?

Explanation

Look carefully at the passage to see what it says about why protecting ecosystems is important.

The passage’s main point is that losing top predators can cause cascading effects on ecosystems, including:

-Regional impacts (areas where predators live)
-Could cause climate changes due to environmental instability (first paragraph)
-Examples given

Hence, the passage supports protecting ecosystems to avoid unforeseen detrimental effects, including climate change caused by environmental instability.

(A)  This matches the idea from the text: environmental instability from predator loss can cause climate changes. It’s broad but consistent with the passage.

(B)  This is not stated or implied in the passage. It’s an opinion not found in the study’s reasoning given.

(C)  The passage does not say ecosystems should be  “stagnant”,  they can change, but not in ways that cause cascade effects from removing predators.

(D)  This reverses cause and effect. The passage says human actions change ecosystems, harming animal populations, not that ecosystem changes force management changes that harm animals, though that could happen, it’s not the core reason given in the passage.

(E)  True, but that’s not the main reason given for protecting ecosystems. The passage’s emphasis is on predators’ role in maintaining ecosystem balance to avoid climate change and extinction cascades.

Answer: A

repellatquas · Answer

Explanation of Que 1 please? A vs D

bhanu29 · Answer

D. Policymakers is correct because the passage is not limited to animal rights from a moral/ethical pov, but also expresses other concerns like climate change, ecosystem stability and land management as possible consequences and also ends with guard dog tradeoff. So it's addressed to policymakers and not animal rights groups.

A recent study by researchers from the University of New South Wales

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A recent study by researchers from the University of New South Wales

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