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The World Wildlife Foundation recently reports that the number of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico has declined drastically. Although extreme drought conditions have dried up nectar plants monarch butterflies rely on for food. The destruction of their overwintering grounds also poses a considerate threat.

When monarch butterflies arrive in Mexico from Canada and the United States, they converge on oyamel fir trees. The trees provide shelter to monarch butterflies they are also essential to the communities that surround the forests. In the past, residents used the wood for cooking and heating, but recently, they have began to sell it in order to support their livelihoods. As a result of logging oyamel fir trees, the habitat of the monarch butterfly population has shrunk.

In 2008, scientists used satellite imagery to illustrate the degradation of oyamel fir forests. Officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States met to quickly develop a monarch butterfly conservation plan. A key feature of the plan focused on protecting the monarch butterflies’ habitat. Mexico agreed to enforce a ban on logging within the Monarch Biosphere Bio Reserve.

Despite various conversation efforts, including paying landowners for logging rights, the monarch butterfly population continues to decline. There was a 28 percent reduction in numbers of butterflies overwintering in Mexico. If further efforts are not made, some scientist predict the total collapse of the ecosystem that supports monarch butterflies in Mexico.

Compare how residents have used oyamel fir trees in the past to how they currently use the trees.
  1. In the past, residents used the trees only for personal needs like cooking and heat, but now they sell the wood to others to earn money.
  2. In the past residents avoided using the trees in the conservation biosphere, but now they have to use those trees as well.
  3. The increase in population has led to residents cutting down more trees than they have in the past.
  4. In the past residents earned money by selling wood from the trees, now they are given money by the government and don’t cut the trees.
Explanation
Answer [A]: In the past residents used the trees only for their own cooking and heating needs. Now, to earn a living, they cut down the trees and sell the wood. This is a recent change and has led to the destruction of the monarch butterfly habitat.
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