[Campbell Biology P.701] Why can plant diversity be considered a "nonrenewable resource," as... | Practice Question

Why can plant diversity be considered a "nonrenewable resource," as suggested in the text?

  • A: Because only a small fraction of known plant species have been studied for potential uses.
  • B: Because once a plant species goes extinct, it cannot be naturally recreated or recovered.
  • C: Because most of our food comes from only a few dozen species of seed plants.
  • D: Because tropical rainforests, a source of healing plants, regenerate only slowly.

Explanation

The introductory paragraphs and 'CONCEPT CHECK 30.4' question 1 emphasize the irreversible nature of species extinction. Once a species is lost, its unique genetic makeup and evolutionary history are gone forever, making it a nonrenewable resource in the truest sense. While slow regeneration or limited study are related issues, they don't define non-renewability as directly as the permanent loss of a species.