Final answer:
Reduced competition for resources is not a benefit of high biodiversity; in fact, biodiversity can increase competition. Benefits include increased ecosystem stability, enhanced disease resistance, and improved crop pollination.
Step-by-step explanation:
Which of the following is not a benefit of high biodiversity? The correct answer is d) Reduced competition for resources. High biodiversity tends to increase competition for resources because more species are present, and thus they compete for the limited available resources.
However, the benefits of high biodiversity include increased ecosystem stability, enhanced resistance to diseases, and improved pollination of crops. Increased stability comes through a variety of mechanisms, such as different species providing different ecosystem functions like nutrient cycling, pollination, and pest control. These diverse functions lead to more stable ecosystems that can absorb environmental changes (Tilman 1996).
Biodiverse ecosystems are also more productive and efficient, which can lead to enhanced resistance to diseases and pests through natural means, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Moreover, a diverse array of pollinators increases pollination efficiency, which is beneficial for agricultural crop production, as native bee populations can offer critical pollination services to nearby fields (Kremen et al. 2002; Ricketts et al. 2004).