Question

Bryn has been reading a case study about a small section of a forest in Oregon. This particular forest has seen a lot of pollution from a local city, as well as a lot of littering from people hiking and not taking their garbage out with them. In addition, in the past two years the soil quality in that part of the forest has been poor, and there has been more erosion than in previous years. Considering the information Bryn has read about this section of forest, what can she logically conclude? This section of the forest recently experienced a large forest fire. This section of the forest will be at higher than average risk of insect infestation and disease. This section of the forest is experiencing a parasite infestation. This section of the forest will be at higher than average risk of wildfires.

Answer 1

Bryn can logically conclude that the polluted and eroded forest in Oregon is at a higher risk of insect infestation and disease due to weakened environmental resilience. Therefore, the correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

Considering the information Bryn has read about a section of forest in Oregon, she can logically conclude that this section of the forest will be at higher than average risk of insect infestation and disease. Pollution and soil degradation, like erosion, weaken the forest's ability to resist infestations and pathogens. Additionally, the littering and poor soil quality contribute to an environment that is less resilient and more susceptible to disease and pests. This is supported by research indicating that both fire and insect infestation in forests are influenced by conditions such as soil quality and pollution which can lead to habitat degradation and increased vulnerability.