Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.
For generations, semi-arid agricultural communities across the West African Sahel have relied on agroforestry parklands—landscapes where indigenous trees such as Parkia biglobosa (locust bean) and Vitellaria paradoxa (shea) are deliberately preserved within crop fields. While casual observers often view these tree species merely as secondary sources of seasonal food and oil, their fundamental ecological function lies in microclimate regulation and soil preservation. The canopy cover provided by mature parkland trees significantly moderates extreme surface temperatures, thereby reducing evapotranspiration rates for underlying intercropped staples like sorghum and millet. Furthermore, the extensive root architectures of these native species enhance water infiltration during erratic rainy seasons, mitigating localized soil erosion. Recent environmental assessments indicate that farmlands integrating high densities of parkland trees exhibit remarkable climate resilience during prolonged droughts compared to monocultural plots. Consequently, the preservation of traditional agroforestry parklands represents a critical structural strategy for sustaining agricultural yields amidst accelerating climate volatility, rather than a mere peripheral subsistence practice.
Which of the following statements best expresses the primary argument of the passage?
- AIndigenous Sahelian trees are primarily preserved by farmers because they provide secondary seasonal supplies of food and oil.
- Traditional agroforestry parklands serve as an essential structural buffer against climate volatility rather than just a supplementary subsistence resource.Cevap
- CMature parkland trees moderate extreme ground temperatures to decrease evapotranspiration rates in sorghum and millet crops.
- DMonocultural farming practices across the Sahel will soon be entirely replaced by commercial locust bean and shea plantations.