LSAT 101 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q16

RC Question 16 Explanation

DISCUSSION: Species-energy is the second theory, found in paragraph three.

This theory says that there is more energy from the sun at the tropics, and more energy is correlated with biomass, and biomass is correlated with a higher number of species.

You’ve likely done enough LSAT questions to know that correlation isn’t causation. It’s possible to have much biomass and few species, and vice-versa.

You don’t need to memorize a name such as “species-energy hypothesis”. I had to look back at the passage to remember which theory it was. Just find it, and make sure you understand the details.

Anyway, the question is asking for a situation consistent with the theory. It will be most useful to find a situation with high energy, high biomass and many species, or vice-versa.

___________

1. The theory said that many plants (large biomass) would lead to many species.
2. The theory was about what happened in an environment. This just describes a single species.
3. A desert is low biomass, many species. We want low biomass and low species diversity.
4. Lines 24-27 show that the theory predicts that high biomass will prevent extinctions.
5. CORRECT. In the cold arctic, there is low energy. The theory would predict low biomass. A low rate of growth and reproduction leads to low biomass (literally “amount of life”).