Which of the following statements are correct?

A. The Amazon rainforest being cut and cleared for cultivation of soyabeans is an example of habitat loss.
B. Steller's sea cow and passenger pigeon became extinct due to over-exploitation by humans.
C. The Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria in East Africa helped in population growth of cichlid fish in the lake.
D. Water hyacinth is an invasive species.
E. When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it are not affected.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Question

Which of the following statements are correct?

A. The Amazon rainforest being cut and cleared for cultivation of soyabeans is an example of habitat loss.
B. Steller's sea cow and passenger pigeon became extinct due to over-exploitation by humans.
C. The Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria in East Africa helped in population growth of cichlid fish in the lake.
D. Water hyacinth is an invasive species.
E. When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it are not affected.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Accepted Answer

B. 1. This question requires checking each statement against the known **causes of biodiversity loss** (habitat loss, over-exploitation, alien species invasion, and co-extinction).

2. **Statement A**: Clearing the Amazon rainforest for soyabean cultivation removes the natural habitat of countless species — this is a textbook example of **habitat loss**, so A is correct.

3. **Statement B**: Steller's sea cow and the passenger pigeon are well-known examples of species driven to extinction because humans hunted them excessively — this is **over-exploitation**, so B is correct.

4. **Statement C**: In reality, the Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria caused the extinction of over 200 species of cichlid fish rather than helping them, so C is **incorrect**.

5. **Statement D**: Water hyacinth is indeed a well-documented **invasive alien species** that chokes water bodies, so D is correct.

6. **Statement E**: When a species goes extinct, other species that depend on it (in a mutualistic or obligatory relationship) often go extinct too — this is called **co-extinction** — so E is **incorrect** as written.

Since A, B, and D are the true statements:

**Hence, the answer is Option B.**