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Critical Reasoning

Expert replies
by BTGmoderatorRO » Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:24 am
When old-grow forests are cleared of tall trees, more sunlight reaches the forest floor. This results in a sharp increase in the population of leafy shrubs on which the mule deer depend for food. Yet mule deer herds that inhabit cleared forests are less well-nourished than are herds living in old-growth forests.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent paradox?

(A) Mule deer have enzyme-rich saliva and specialized digestive organs that enable the deer to digest tough plants inedible to other deer species.

(B) Mule deer herds that inhabit cleared forests tend to have more female with young offspring and fewer adult males than do other mule deer populations.

(C) Mule deer populations are spread throughout western North America and inhabit hot, sunny climates as well as cool, wet climates.

(D) As plants receive more sunlight, they produce higher amounts of tannins, compounds that inhibit digestion of the plants' proteins.

(E) Insect parasites, such as certain species of ticks, that feed primary on mule deer often dwell in trees, from which they drop onto passing deer

OA is D
Could the OA be correct? Urgent answer from an Expert please.
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by ErikaPrepScholar » Thu Feb 01, 2018 7:03 am
Let's put the paradox into our own words:
cleared forest --> more sunlight --> more shrubs --> more mule food
BUT
cleared forest --> less nourished mules

So despite the fact that there is more mule food in cleared forests, the mules are less nourished. If we can find any reason why mules would be less nourished despite having more to eat, then we can pick that answer.

D tells us that plants that receive more sunlight (like the shrubs in cleared forests do), they become harder to digest. This means that even if mules in cleared forests are eating more plants than mules in old-growth forests are, they are having a harder time digesting them and getting the nourishing proteins they need. This explains why the mules in the cleared forests can eat more plants than mules in old-growth forests but still be less nourished. We can pick answer choice D.

Let me know if you want clarification on how we can eliminate the other answer choices.
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