LSAT Explanation PT 38, S4, Q11: Environmentalist: The complex ecosystem of the

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the environmentalist's main conclusion? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Main Conclusion question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The environmentalist presents the following information:

Premise 1: The North American prairie ecosystem has been largely destroyed to produce cattle feed.

Premise 2: The prairie ecosystem once supported 30 to 70 million bison, while North American agriculture now supports about 50 million cattle.

Premise 3: Bison yield as much meat as cattle.

Premise 4: The natural prairie required neither pesticides, machinery, nor government subsidies.

Conclusion: Returning as much land as possible to an uncultivated state could restore biodiversity without a major decrease in meat production.

Now, let's discuss the answer choices. The question type is a Main Conclusion question, which asks us to identify the environmentalist's main point.

a) This answer choice talks about reintroducing earlier agricultural techniques, but the passage focuses on restoring the prairie ecosystem. The conclusion is about restoring biodiversity without decreasing meat production, not specifically about earlier techniques. So, this choice is not the main conclusion.

b) This answer choice discusses cost-effectiveness in protecting the habitat of wild animals versus raising domesticated animals. While the passage mentions the costs of pesticides, machinery, and subsidies, the main conclusion is about restoring biodiversity and maintaining meat production, not about cost-effectiveness. This choice is related to the argument but not the main conclusion.

c) This answer choice talks about not restoring biodiversity if it will have intolerable economic consequences. However, the passage's conclusion is that restoring biodiversity can be done without a major decrease in meat production, which implies that it is economically feasible. This choice is not the main conclusion.

d) This answer choice focuses on preserving the remaining North American bison. While bison are mentioned in the passage, the main conclusion is about restoring biodiversity by returning land to an uncultivated state, not specifically about preserving bison. So, this choice is not the main conclusion.

e) This answer choice states that the devastation of the North American prairie ecosystem could be largely reversed without significantly decreasing meat production. This aligns with the conclusion drawn from the premises in the passage, which is about restoring biodiversity without a major decrease in meat production. Therefore, this choice accurately expresses the environmentalist's main conclusion.

The correct answer is E.