Passage

Researchers simulated street lighting on artificial grassland plots containing pea-aphids, sap-sucking insects, at night. These were exposed to two different types of light a white light similar to newer commercial LED lights and an amber light similar to sodium street lamps. The low intensity amber light was shown to inhibit, rather than induce, flowering in a wild plant of the pea family which is a source of food for the pea-aphids in grasslands. The number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment due to the limited amount of food available.

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2021

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement A is incorrect: The passage mentions that low-intensity light inhibits the flowering of a wildflower. However, it cannot be inferred that Low-intensity light has more adverse effects vis-a-vis High-intensity light.

Statement B is incorrect: This is an extreme statement, and it cannot be inferred from the passage that light pollution can have permanent adverse effects on the ecosystem. Further, light pollution is not explicitly mentioned in the passage, so cannot be inferred.

Statement C is incorrect: The passage does not mention that white color is good for the flowering of the plants. With this information, we cannot sufficiently infer that White light is better for the flowering of the plants vis-a-vis all the other lights of all the other colors.

Statement D is correct: The passage mentions that low-intensity light inhibits the flowering of plants. Further, it highlights that the number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment due to the limited amount of food available. So, it can be inferred from the passage that the proper intensity of light in an ecosystem is important not only for plants (for flowering) but also for animals like aphids.

Hence, Option (D) is correct

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