Correct Option (B)
Statement 2 is correct. The passage explicitly states, "Most of these benefits either are irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively expensive." This indicates that technology cannot fully substitute all goods and services provided by ecosystems, or can do so only at a prohibitive cost, as illustrated by the example of desalinating seawater.
Incorrect Options:
Statement 1 is incorrect. The passage notes that human populations have "greatly modified the Earth’s ecosystems to meet their increased requirements." However, it does not assert that such modification is "imperative" for human well-being. Instead, the passage highlights the negative consequences of these modifications, such as "long-term degradation of others" and the fact that "some people have actually been harmed by these changes." The text describes modifications as having occurred due to human demands, but does not present them as a necessary or universally beneficial imperative.