Dr. Sarah Chen's decade-long research on migratory bird populations reveals a recurring environmental pattern where resource abundance triggers popula...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Dr. Sarah Chen's decade-long research on migratory bird populations reveals a recurring environmental pattern where resource abundance triggers population growth followed by habitat degradation and decline.
Which observation from her field studies most effectively illustrates this cyclical phenomenon?
"Breeding season surveys from 2018-2022 show consistent increases in nesting pairs during resource-rich years, followed by territory abandonment and population crashes as food sources become depleted."
"Migration timing data indicates that warmer spring temperatures consistently accelerate northward movement by an average of twelve days across all monitored species."
"Habitat restoration in the central flyway has resulted in measurably improved survival rates, with mortality decreasing from \(\mathrm{34\%}\) to \(\mathrm{19\%}\) over the study period."
"Weather pattern analysis reveals that severe storm systems during peak migration months correlate strongly with reduced population counts in subsequent breeding seasons."
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Sarah Chen's decade-long research on migratory bird populations" |
|
| "reveals a recurring environmental pattern" |
|
| "where resource abundance triggers population growth" |
|
| "followed by habitat degradation and decline" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Chen's research identified a cyclical environmental pattern where resource abundance leads to population growth, which then leads to habitat degradation and population decline.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Dr. Chen's credibility through her decade-long study, then presents her key finding of a recurring pattern. It explains this pattern as a two-phase cycle: first, abundant resources trigger population growth, then this growth leads to habitat problems and population decline.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer must show the complete cyclical pattern described in the passage
- It should demonstrate both phases: first, how resource abundance leads to population growth, and second, how this growth then leads to habitat problems and population decline
- We need evidence that shows this isn't just a one-time event but a recurring pattern
"Breeding season surveys from 2018-2022 show consistent increases in nesting pairs during resource-rich years, followed by territory abandonment and population crashes as food sources become depleted."
✓ Correct
- Shows breeding surveys from 2018-2022 with increases in nesting pairs during resource-rich years, then territory abandonment and population crashes as food sources become depleted
- This captures the complete cycle: resource abundance, population growth, resource depletion, population decline
"Migration timing data indicates that warmer spring temperatures consistently accelerate northward movement by an average of twelve days across all monitored species."
✗ Incorrect
- Describes migration timing changes due to warmer temperatures
- This shows a correlation between temperature and migration timing, not the cyclical population pattern
"Habitat restoration in the central flyway has resulted in measurably improved survival rates, with mortality decreasing from \(\mathrm{34\%}\) to \(\mathrm{19\%}\) over the study period."
✗ Incorrect
- Describes habitat restoration leading to improved survival rates
- This shows improvement and recovery, which is the opposite of the cyclical decline pattern
"Weather pattern analysis reveals that severe storm systems during peak migration months correlate strongly with reduced population counts in subsequent breeding seasons."
✗ Incorrect
- Shows severe storms correlating with reduced population counts
- This demonstrates one cause-effect relationship but not the cyclical pattern starting with resource abundance