Question

Difficulty: HardLiteral Comprehension and Fact Retrieval

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows:

The mangroves of the Niger Delta constitute one of the largest continuous wetland ecosystems in West Africa, serving as critical breeding grounds for coastal fisheries. In recent decades, industrial urbanization and timber harvesting have severely fragmented these littoral forests. In 2018, environmental researchers initiated a restoration scheme relying on Nypa palm eradication coupled with indigenous Rhizophora mangrove replanting. While local communities originally utilized Nypa palm fronds for temporary thatch roofing, the species rapidly outcompeted native flora, offering zero root density for coastal erosion defense. Surprisingly, recent surveys revealed that while Rhizophora survival reached 78% in community-managed zones, commercial plots recorded only a 42% survival rate due to soil compaction from heavy machinery.

According to the passage, which of the following is an explicit drawback of the Nypa palm?

  1. It fails to provide the root density necessary to protect against coastal erosion.Answer
  2. B
    It caused severe soil compaction that reduced mangrove survival to 42%.
  3. C
    It recorded a reduced survival rate of 42% in community-managed zones.
  4. D
    It prevented local inhabitants from constructing temporary thatch roofs.

Answer

The Nypa palm fails to provide the root density necessary to protect against coastal erosion.
The correct answer is directly supported by explicit passage evidence stating that the Nypa palm offers zero root density for coastal erosion defense.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the specific detail requested in the stem
The question asks for an explicit drawback of the Nypa palm as stated in the passage.
Literal comprehension requires retrieving facts directly tied to the target concept.
2
Scan the passage for explicitly stated facts about the Nypa palm
The text states: 'the species rapidly outcompeted native flora, offering zero root density for coastal erosion defense.'
Direct text evidence isolates stated drawbacks from unrelated facts in the text.
3
Evaluate the options against explicit text evidence
The option citing lack of root density for erosion defense is directly corroborated by the passage.
Other choices misattribute soil compaction caused by heavy machinery or misread survival percentages belonging to Rhizophora mangroves.

Key Concept

Literal Comprehension and Fact Retrieval
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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