Approximately 80 percent of all flowering plant species are pollinated by animals, including birds and mammals, but the main pollinators are insects. Pollination is responsible for providing us with a wide variety of food, as well as many plant-derived medicines. At least one-third of the world's agricultural crops depend upon pollination. Bees are the most dominant taxa when it comes to pollination and they are crucial to more than four hundred crops. Pollination is an essential service that is the result of intricate relationships between plants and animals, and the reduction or loss of either affects the survival of both. Effective pollination requires resources, such as refuges of pristine natural vegetation.

Correct Option (D)

Statements 3 and 4 are valid assumptions based on the provided passage.

• Statement 3: The passage explicitly states, "Effective pollination requires resources, such as refuges of pristine natural vegetation." This directly implies that in cultivated areas lacking such natural vegetation, pollinators would become scarce due to the absence of necessary resources and habitats.
• Statement 4: The passage highlights the intricate relationships between plants and animals and notes that "the reduction or loss of either affects the survival of both." This indicates a strong interdependence where a diverse population of pollinators (insects) is essential for maintaining and inducing diversity among plant species.

Incorrect Options:

• Statement 1: The passage mentions that "At least one-third of the world's agricultural crops depend upon pollination." However, it does not provide specific information regarding cereal food grains. Major cereal crops like wheat, rice, and maize are predominantly wind-pollinated or self-pollinated, rather than relying on animal pollinators. Therefore, the assumption that sustainable production of India's cereal food grains is impossible without the diversity of pollinating animals is not supported by the passage.
• Statement 2: While the passage emphasizes the requirement of natural vegetation for effective pollination, it does not explicitly state that the monoculture of horticultural crops directly hampers the survival of insects. The passage focuses on the positive requirement for natural refuges, not the negative impact of specific agricultural practices like monoculture on insect survival. This assumption cannot be directly inferred from the given text.