Question

12th grade mid - year assessment. international journal of agricultural sustainability shows a possible link between monoculture landscapes and lower wild pollinators. this research begs the question: is there a better way to grow our food? monocultures dont exist in nature. natural ecosystems that appear to be dominated by one plant or tree species (such as grasslands or some temperate forests) also have many other plant species growing under and around them. this diversity of plant species and sizes supports diverse wildlife communities, and this diversity supports ecosystem services such as pollination and biological control. when this diversity evanesces, the results can be disastrous. the dust bowl years (1934 - 1940) on the american great plains showed us what can happen when natural ecosystems are overwhelmed by intensive, single - crop farming. 5 my research focuses particularly on almond orchards. in the mallee woodlands and shrublands of southern australia, probably one of the most understudied and important ecosystems for conservation, almond orchards are rapidly expanding. large fruit tree orchards differ from field crops because they are permanently embedded in the landscape for more than 10 years. therefore, they may have more serious, long - term impacts on the environment than an annual crop. assessment questions: how does the authors reference to the dust bowl contribute to the development of ideas in the article? (paragraph 4) a. it highlights how the negative effects of single - crop farming can be permanent. b. it offers reassurance that the land can recover after an environmental disaster. c. it provides an example of the devastating consequences of single - crop farming. d. it highlights how difficult it is for an environment to fully recover from single - crop farming.

Explanation:

The text mentions that when the diversity in ecosystems evanesces (as in the case of single - crop farming), disastrous results can occur, and the Dust Bowl is given as an example of what happens when natural ecosystems are overwhelmed by intensive, single - crop farming. It serves as an illustration of the devastating consequences of this type of farming.

Answer:

C. It provides an example of the devastating consequences of single - crop farming.