As agriculture and urbanization continue to expand in the United States, more natural areas are lost or fragmented.Even public lands, including national parks, are subject to human activities such as cattle grazing and mining, causing further fragmentation.Given this situation, plus your knowledge of biogeographic patterns and factors affecting them, what overall trend in species diversity might be expected to occur in the next 100 years?
A) Species diversity will likely increase, as most species rapidly adapt to urbanization.
B) Species diversity will likely not change, as most species adapt rapidly to urbanization.
C) Species diversity will likely decline due to increased extinctions and smaller natural areas.
D) Species diversity will likely decline due to limited immigration, but extinction rates will likely not change.
E) Species diversity will likely not change; extinctions will increase but will be balanced by increasing immigration.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The loss and fragmentation of natural areas, combined with human activities in public lands, are significant factors that can cause extinctions and reduced specie diversity. Therefore, it is likely that species diversity will decline in the next century.

As Agriculture and Urbanization Continue to Expand in the United