Eurasian water milfoil, a weed not native to Frida Lake, has reproduce

Question

Eurasian water milfoil, a weed not native to Frida Lake, has reproduced prolifically since being accidentally introduced there. In order to eliminate the weed, biologists proposed treating infested parts of the lake with a certain herbicide that is nontoxic for humans and aquatic animals. However, the herbicide might damage populations of certain rare plant species that the lake contains. For this reason local officials rejected the proposal.

Which of the following, if true, points out the most serious weakness in the officials' grounds for rejecting the biologists' proposal?

(A) The continuing spread of Eurasian water milfoil in Frida Lake threatens to choke out the lake's rare plant species.

(B) Because of ecological conditions prevailing in its native habitat, Eurasian water milfoil is not as dominant there as it is in Frida Lake.

(C) The proliferation of Eurasian water milfoil in Frida Lake has led to reductions in the populations of some species of aquatic animals.

(D) Although Eurasian water milfoil could be mechanically removed from Frida Lake, eliminating the weed would take far longer this way than it would using herbicides.

(E) Unless Eurasian water milfoil is completely eliminated from Frida Lake, it will quickly spread again once herbicide treatments or other control measures cease.

ID: 500393
06882

nightblade354 · Accepted Answer

Hi Pikolo,

You are indeed correct. (C) is incorrect because it talks about the elimination of animals. Our premise only cares about rare species of plants. (A) says that if you do not use the herbicide, the plants will die no matter what. So, you must use it to give the plants a chance.

Kurtosis · Answer

Possible weakeners: 1) The rare plant species can be regrown after the use of the herbicide
2) The rare plant species will die out if the lake is not treated with the herbicide.

A)The continuing spread of Eurasian water milfoil in Frida Lake threatens to choke out the lake's rare plant species. - Correct.

B) Because of ecological conditions prevailing in its native habitat, Eurasian water milfoil is not as dominant there as it is in Frida Lake. - Incorrect. Irrelevant

C) The proliferation of Eurasian water milfoil in Frida Lake has led to reductions in the populations of some species of aquatic animals. - Incorrect. Opposes the facts stated.

D) Although Eurasian water milfoil could be mechanically removed from Frida Lake, eliminating the weed would take far longer this way than it would using herbicides. - Incorrect. Strengthens. Mechanical removal of weeds is good if its removal doesn't affect the rate plant species.

E) Unless Eurasian water milfoil is completely eliminated from Frida Lake, it will quickly spread again once herbicide treatments or other control measures cease. - Incorrect. Out of context.

Answer: A

pikolo2510 · Answer

Hey  abhimahna  /  GMATNinja ,

I was stuck between A and C here. I eliminated C because option C talks about aquatic animals whereas the reasoning given by the local officials is regarding their concern for rare plant species.

Option C doesn't weaken the local officials reasoning

Is my understanding correct here?

rishabhmail125 · Answer

A as per me. B,D and E strengthen the position taken by officials. Between A and C. A is the better choice!

gvij2017 · Answer

Would you elaborate Option A?

Eurasian milfoil is weed, not good for lake.

Biologist proposal: Herbicide is non-toxic to human and aquatic life but will decrease population of rare plant species. 
Local Officials rejected biologist proposal.

Now I don't understand why A is ground for refusal of biologist proposal.

nightblade354 · Answer

We are trying to WEAKEN the argument that we shouldn't use the herbicide. So, using the double-negative, we want a solution that proves the biologist wrong. We want to strengthen the idea that we SHOULD use the herbicide.

Does this help?

Abhishek009 · Answer

Option (A) simply states that if Eurasian milfoil if not treated it might damage populations of certain rare plant species that the lake contains, thus damage to the rare plant species/animals is inevitable (Whether we treat herbicide /don't), so why blame the herbicides only for the issue, the weed is also responsible for the damage as well.

I rather term it horns of a dilemma, in either way damage to plants and animals can not be avoided !!

GMATNinjaTwo · Answer

Thanks  nightblade354  and  Abhishek009  for the awesome replies!

To post additional questions not already addressed in this thread, feel free to use the  request verbal experts' reply  button.

gupta335 · Answer

Hi,
I dont understand how option D strengthening? Is is not out of scope? It just tells us that not using herbicides is possible to remove the EWM but it still doesnt answer whether the herbicides will damage the certain rare plant species.

meenakshimiyer · Answer

Reason for rejection: Herbicides might destroy some population of rare plan species that the lake contains.
Option (A) simply states that if Eurasian milfoil if not treated it might damage populations of certain rare plant species that the lake contains, thus damage to the rare plant species/animals is inevitable. Weed also has other harmful effects. So, avoiding the use of herbicides won’t be helpful. Hence, A is the answer.

sahilhafnia · Answer

The scenario in front of us is an interesting one. The weed has spread too much in the lake and can be killed by a biocide, which happens to be non toxic to humans and other water animals, but only harmful to the rare plant species. On this basis or a negative effect of the biocide, officials say that they wont use it. 
Now, the official's point of view is fairly logical. Anyone would say agree with them. But if we see clearly, we can notice that only one negative point has failed the other plus points of the biocide. Now what if the weed was so bad that by itself it is harming this rare plant species even more, and no other alternative was available apart from the biocide. Will it be then logical to say no to the biocide use ? That rare plant species would be harmed anyways. One may atleast make the harm less.
Also, what if the rare plant species if it dies because of the biocide, produces better products in water that revive more than one other rare species. In that case, I myself would say its better to let go one and revive two rare species. 
Hahahaha

Let see the options :

1) This option says similar to what I could think of, in fact, it says it even more precisely than I could. A possible correct choice.

2) This option tells us that perhaps Frida lake is a better home for the weed. But if that is so, I would actually strongly prefer using the herbicide. But still, the officials would say to me that the rare plant species is going to die. How do I argue then further ? Am I able to justify here that weed growth is bad for the lake. I don't even know here how much the weed is bad for the lake. It could have been a possible answer choice but I feel it still doesn't bowl out the official's reasoning.

3) So some species of animals have died because of the weed. This statement would actually make me push for the biocide, but again, can i beat the officials reasoning ?. Am I able to weigh against their opinion that the rare plant species is also going to die if herbicide is used ? Only if I could justify that animals were more important than the rare species, would officials reasoning stand weakened.

4) So its going to take longer if the weed is removed mechanically . But in this case, wont it be actually better to take more time and remove the weed than to take less time but kill the rare plant species. Do you still think the officials would favour the herbicide ? Surely an incorrect choice as it cannot be a weakener.

5) This option tells us about a scenario in which the herbicide actually becomes a looser because it cannot force the weed to stoop from growing back. It doesn't favor using the herbicide then. Only favors the officials. A possible strengthener and not a weakener.

Correct choice should be A.

custodio · Answer

Is (E) also a weakaner? 
If we stop using herbicide, water milfoil will spread and damage rare plants. 
So we should keep using herbicide (as opposed to what officials say: stop using herbicide).

VerbalBot · Answer

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Eurasian water milfoil, a weed not native to Frida Lake, has reproduce

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Eurasian water milfoil, a weed not native to Frida Lake, has reproduce

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