Read the following passage and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only.
The Himalayan ecosystem is highly vulnerable to damage, both due to geological reasons and on account of the stress caused by increased pressure of population, exploitation of natural resources and other related challenges. These aspects may be exacerbated due to the impact of climate change. It is possible that climate change may adversely impact the Himalayan ecosystem through increased temperature, altered precipitation patterns, episodes of drought and biotic influence. This would impact not only the very sustenance of the indigenous communities in uplands but also the life of downstream dwellers across the country and beyond. Therefore, there is an urgent need for giving special attention to sustain the Himalayan ecosystem. This would require conscious efforts for conserving all the representative systems.
Further, it needs to be emphasized that the endemics with restricted distribution, and most often with specialized habitat requirements, are among the most vulnerable elements. In this respect the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, with rich endemic diversity, is vulnerable to climate change. The threats include possible loss of genetic resources and species, habitats and concomitantly a decrease in ecosystem services. Therefore, conservation of endemic elements in representative ecosystems/habitats assumes a great significance while drawing conservation plans for the region.
Towards achieving the above, we will have to shift towards contemporary conservation approaches, which include a paradigm of landscape level interconnectivity between protected area systems. The concept advocates a shift from the species-habitat focus to an inclusive focus on expanding the biogeographic range so that natural adjustments to climate change can proceed without being restrictive.
Which one of the following statements best implies the need to shift towards contemporary conservation approach?
The passage explicitly states that contemporary conservation approaches advocate a shift from a species-habitat focus to an inclusive focus on expanding the biogeographic range. The primary objective of this shift is to enable natural adjustments to climate change without restrictive barriers. Therefore, the statement that the Himalayan biogeographic region should be enabled to adapt to climate change smoothly directly reflects the core implication and purpose of adopting these contemporary conservation strategies.
Option (a) describes one of the stresses on the Himalayan ecosystem. While resource exploitation is a significant challenge, it does not specifically imply the need for a paradigm shift towards landscape-level interconnectivity for climate change adaptation, which is the essence of the contemporary approach discussed.
Option (b) details the adverse impacts of climate change on the Himalayan ecosystem. These impacts highlight the vulnerability of the region but do not, by themselves, explain the specific rationale for shifting to a new conservation methodology focused on biogeographic range expansion for adaptation.
Option (c) states a characteristic of the Himalayan region, identifying it as a biodiversity hotspot due to its rich endemic diversity. While the vulnerability of this hotspot is a concern, this statement merely describes the region's biodiversity status rather than implying the necessity for a specific shift in conservation approach to facilitate climate change adaptation.