In environmental science, approximately how many species are estimated to go extinct on Earth every day due largely to human activities?

Introduction / Context:
Biodiversity loss is one of the most serious environmental issues facing the planet. Scientists estimate that far more species are disappearing today than would be expected under natural background extinction rates. This question asks about a commonly quoted approximate figure for how many species go extinct every day.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are asked for an approximate daily extinction rate of species.
• The context is modern human influenced extinction, not ancient natural extinctions.
• Options range from 10 to 1,000 species per day.

Concept / Approach:
Many environmental education sources and introductory ecology texts mention that an estimated 150 to 200 species may be going extinct each day because of habitat loss, pollution, climate change and overexploitation. Although exact numbers are uncertain, this range is widely used to highlight the scale of the current biodiversity crisis. Among the options, the value that best represents this estimate is about 150 species per day.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that current extinction rates are believed to be many times higher than natural background levels. Step 2: Remember that commonly quoted figures talk about tens to hundreds of species disappearing in a single day. Step 3: Compare the options with the widely used estimate of 150 to 200 species per day. Step 4: Select the value closest to the lower end of this range, which is about 150 species per day.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you have read environmental science notes or biodiversity sections, you will often find statements such as on average about 150 species go extinct every day, adding up to tens of thousands per year. This approximate statement matches option D directly. None of the lower values capture the scale emphasised in such discussions, and the highest value of 1,000 per day goes well beyond the usual classroom figure.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, about 10 species per day, is far below the widely quoted range and underestimates the crisis. Option B, about 25 species per day, is still much lower than the commonly cited figures. Option C, about 100 species per day, moves closer but does not match the standard 150 to 200 range usually mentioned. Option E, about 1,000 species per day, is far higher than most conservative textbook estimates and is not the usual exam value.

Common Pitfalls:
Because different sources give slightly different numbers, students may feel uncertain and guess randomly. In school and undergraduate level exams, the value near 150 species per day is most often used to represent the seriousness of biodiversity loss. Remember that the exact number is an estimate, but for objective questions you should choose the option that matches the standard teaching figure.

Final Answer:
A commonly quoted approximate figure is that About 150 species per day go extinct on Earth due mainly to human activities.