Question

Researchers simulated street lighting on artificial grassland plots containing pea-aphids, sap-sucking insects, at night. These were exposed to two different types of light- a white light similar to newer commercial LED lights and an amber light similar to sodium street lamps. The low intensity amber light was shown to inhibit, rather than induce, flowering in a wild plant of the pea family which is a source of food for the pea-aphids in grasslands. The number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment 

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above?

(a) Low intensity light has more adverse effect on the plants as compared to high intensity light.

(b) Light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem.

(c) White light is better for the flowering of plants as compared to the light of other colours.

(d) Proper intensity of light in an ecosystem is important not only for animals too.

Answer 1

(d) Proper intensity of light in an ecosystem is important not only for animals too.

The inference of the passage is that low intensity amber lights impacts both the plants and animals by reducing the food production and the subsequent reduction animal population.