Question

A pharmaceutical company discovers a new antibiotic compound in bacteria from a rainforest. How does this discovery illustrate the connection between biodiversity conservation and human health?
Question 16 options:

Only rainforest environments contain medically useful compounds for human benefit

This discovery is coincidental and not representative of biodiversity's importance

Biodiversity provides potential sources for new medicines and treatments

Medical compounds from nature are always less effective than synthetic alternatives

Answer 1

Biodiversity provides potential sources for new medicines and treatments.

Explanation: Many drugs have been derived from organisms (plants, fungi, bacteria, animals). Conserving diverse ecosystems preserves genetic and biochemical diversity that can yield novel compounds useful for human health. The other options are incorrect because useful compounds aren’t limited to rainforests, the discovery isn’t merely coincidental, and natural compounds can be highly effective (sometimes leading to synthetic derivatives).