Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services, such as food, clean water, clean air, flood control, soil stabilization, pollination, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment, and aesthetic enjoyment, to name just a few. Most of these benefits are either irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively expensive.
For example, potable freshwater can be extracted by desalinating sea water, but only at great cost. The rapidly expanding human population has greatly modified the earth's ecosystem to meet its increased requirements of some goods and services, particularly food, freshwater, timber, fibre, and fuel.
These modifications have contributed substantially to human well being and economic development. The benefits have not been equally distributed. Some people have actually been harmed by these changes.
Moreover, short-term increases in some ecosystems' goods and services have come at the cost of long-term degradation of others. For example, efforts to increase the production of food and fibre have decreased the ability of some ecosystems to provide clean water, regulate flooding, and support biodiversity.
Which of the following is correct in the context of the passage?
Only the first statement is correct in context, so that is the answer.
The passage clearly says some people have actually been harmed by the changes.
So it is correct that the rapid expansion of population has adversely affected some people.
The claim that efforts to raise food and fibre have been insufficient is irrelevant to the passage.
The claim that everyone will benefit in the long term is not supported and is in fact contradicted.
So the correct statement is that the rapid expansion of population has adversely affected some people.
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