on pacific islands, a newly arrived gecko species

[hesher]

on pacific islands, a newly arrived gecko species, the house gecko, is displacing the previously established mourning gecko in urban areas, but populations of the two species are mosre stable in rural areas far from human settlement. The house gecko does not attack the mourning gecko, but in areas where insects congregate it prevents the mourning gecko from feeding on them.

Which of the following contribues the most to an explanation of the difference between gecko populations in urban and rural areas?

1. in urban areas, geckos are values because they eat so many insects.
2. geckos defend territories against other members of the same species.
3. house geckos that arrive on islands are carried there in boats and planes.
4. in places where there are ligted buildings, insects tend to gather around the light.
5. mourning geckos are all female and reproduce asexually, but house geckos reproduce sexually.

I think the correct answer is C, although i chose d.
Could anyone explain?

Thanks!

[blue_lotus]

The passage states that the New species prevents mourning gecko from feeding on gathered insects.
Now from the answer choices only answer D states about insects gathering around the light.

From this we can infer that in urban areas the food on which gecko feeds are gathered in areas of light,
And the new species would prevent mourning gecko to feed on them , causing their population to decline.


None ot the other answer coices relate to the passage.

[RonPurewal]

a more concise summary (although poster 'blue lotus' is right on):

there's a logic gap in the passage: we're told that the house gecko is making gains in areas where humans settle, and we're then informed that the house gecko displaces the mourning gecko from feeding where insects congregate. therefore, we need an answer choice that connects these two ideas.

choice d is the only answer choice that reasonably links human settlement to congregations of insects, so it must be the correct choice.

[RachitS713]

Hi Ron, According to your explanation above ... Doesn't 'A' directly connect urban areas to insects? That does show that there are so many insects in urban areas. What am I missing?

[StaceyKoprince]

The question asks what "contributes the most to an explanation of the difference between gecko populations in urban and rural areas?"

The fact that people like having geckos around to eat the insects does not explain why there is a difference in the populations of the two types of geckos in urban and rural areas. In rural areas, the geckos are still eating insects.

Answer (D) offers a difference between the two—something that occurs only in the urban areas, not in the rural areas.