When a species become extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct. This is known as -
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Co-extinction
Option (3) Co-extinction — Correct. When a species becomes extinct, the species that depend on it in an obligatory way die out too, like a parasite on its host. This is called co-extinction, one of the four causes of biodiversity loss.
NCERT Extract:
Loss of Biodiversity – “… (iv) Co-extinctions: When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct. When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of parasites also meets the same fate.”