Question Details

The term “sixth mass extinction/sixth extinction” is often mentioned in the news in the context of the discussion of

Options

Widespread monoculture practices in agriculture and large-scale commercial farming with indiscriminate use of chemicals in many parts of the world that may result in the loss of good native ecosystems.

Fears of a possible collision of a meteorite with the Earth in the near future in the manner it happened 65 million years ago that caused the mass extinction of many species including those of dinosaurs.

Large scale cultivation of genetically modified crops in many parts of the world and promoting their cultivation in other parts of the world which may cause the disappearance of good native crop plants and the loss of food biodiversity.

Mankind’s over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

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Correct Answer :

Option D

Mankind’s over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

Solution :

The correct option is Mankind’s over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

Explanation and Logical Reasoning:

Earth's history has recorded five major mass extinction events in the past, largely caused by natural catastrophes such as massive volcanic activity or asteroid impacts (for example, the event 65 million years ago that led to the extinction of dinosaurs).

The term "Sixth Mass Extinction" (or the Holocene/Anthropocene extinction) refers to the ongoing extinction event during the present epoch. Unlike the previous five natural mass extinctions, the current sixth extinction is uniquely caused by human activities.

Key drivers of the sixth mass extinction include:

• Habitat destruction and fragmentation: Deforestation, urbanization, and land conversion for agriculture diminish natural living space for wildlife.
• Over-exploitation of natural resources: Overhunting, overfishing, and unsustainable resource extraction directly deplete species populations.
• Pollution and Global Climate Change: Industrial discharge, plastic waste, rising global temperatures, and ocean acidification alter ecosystems faster than species can adapt.

Thus, when discussed in environmental science and current news, the "sixth extinction" explicitly refers to species loss driven by human impact, ecosystem degradation, pollution, and climate change.