Question

You arrive back in the United States after having visited a foreign country located on another continent. The customs agent stops the person in front of you and confiscates the fruit basket this person is bringing home. Being the knowledgeable person you are, you calmly explain to your enraged fellow traveler that the reason for the detainment is that the fruit basket may be ________.

A) carrying endangered fruit
B) carrying a non-native species that could damage North American ecosystems
C) contaminated with CFCs that will damage the ozone layer above North America
D) contaminated with sufficient DDT to cause serious harm to anyone who eats the fruit

Answer 1

The correct answer is option B, that is, the fruit basket may be having a non-native species, which could hamper the local ecosystems of the North America.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given case, the prime reason for the detainment would be that the food basket may have been carrying a non-native fruit species. The species that originate outside of their natural range are termed as non-native species. The mentioned natural range can be a distinct part of a similar nation or could be of another country.

A non-native species refers to an introduced species or a non-indigenous species that may have arrived in the country due to anthropogenic activities, either accidentally or intentionally. The species though are far less harmful in comparison to invasive species, however, some may affect the local ecosystem of the country.