SAT Question 6d5ddea4: Words In Context answer and explanation

English - Words In Context - Fill In Blank Single Word
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According to Potawatomi ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, the Indigenous method of harvesting Hierochloe odorata, or sweetgrass, by snapping the plant off at the root actually ______ wild populations: it may seem counterintuitive, she says, but this method of removal allows new sweetgrass plants to repopulate the space, with an overall increase in number and vigor.
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Difficulty:Easy
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?