Island A has an area of 30 square kilometers. Island B has an area of 400 square kilometers. The islands are near each other. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true?
A. Island A has grater biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B
B. Island A has less biodiversity and higher percentage of edge effect then Island B
C. Island A has greater biodiversity and a lower percentage of edge effect than Island B
D. Island A has less biodiversity and a lower percentage of edge effect than Island B
I beleave it to be B
I agree.
thank you
To determine which statement is most likely to be true, consider the information provided: Island A has an area of 30 square kilometers, while Island B has an area of 400 square kilometers. The islands are near each other.
The concept of edge effect refers to the increased biodiversity and ecological interactions found in the areas where different types of habitats meet. Generally, larger islands tend to have higher biodiversity due to the availability of diverse habitats and resources.
In this case, Island B, with a significantly larger area, is more likely to have a higher biodiversity compared to Island A. This inconsistency with statement B suggests that it is not the most likely option.
Therefore, statement A becomes the most likely option: Island A has greater biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B.
To determine the most likely statement to be true, we need to understand the concepts of biodiversity and edge effect.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of plant and animal species within an ecosystem. It is influenced by factors such as the size of the habitat, available resources, and geographical location. Generally, larger habitats tend to have higher biodiversity because they can support a greater number of species.
The edge effect refers to the ecological changes that occur along the borders of different habitats. It is caused by the interaction between two adjacent ecosystems and can result in increased biodiversity due to the coexistence of species from both habitat types.
In this scenario, Island A has an area of 30 square kilometers, while Island B has an area of 400 square kilometers. Based on the principle that larger habitats generally have higher biodiversity, it is more likely that Island B, with its larger area, has greater biodiversity than Island A. So, option B, which states that Island A has less biodiversity than Island B, is the most likely statement to be true.
Regarding the edge effect, it is generally expected to be higher in smaller islands due to the proportionally larger border-to-area ratio. Therefore, it is also more likely that Island A, with its smaller size, has a higher percentage of edge effect compared to Island B. So, option B also states that Island A has a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B, making it the most likely statement.
Hence, based on the information given, option B is the most likely statement to be true: "Island A has less biodiversity and a higher percentage of edge effect than Island B."