Living Resources Study Guide
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What was the size of Earth’s human population in A.D. 1605, is a question that does not
represent an environmental issue
A town’s decision about how to dispose of its trash is a decision made at a local level
Clear-cutting and selective cutting are two examples of logging methods
Catching fish at a rate faster than they can breed is called overfishing
Habitat fragmentation is not an effective way to preserve biodiversity
The most diverse ecosystems in the world are tropical rain forests
A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem is known as a(n)
keystone species
The major cause of extinction is habitat destruction
The mating of animals in zoos or wildlife preserves is called captive breeding
The ability of a plant species to fight disease is a result of its gene pool diversity
Extinction: the disappearance from Earth of all members of a species
Pollution: any change in the environment that has a negative effect on living things
Biodiversity: the number of different species in an area
Aquaculture: the practice of raising fish and other water-dwelling organisms for food
Clear-cutting: the process of cutting down all the trees in an area at once
Renewable resources are resources that are not replaced as they are used (F; nonrenewable)
A species that is in danger of becoming extinct in the near future is considered a(n) threatened
species (F; endangered)
Poaching is the illegal killing or removal of wildlife species (T)
A diverse gene pool makes a species more able to resist diseases and parasites (T)
A(n) fishery is an area with a large population of valuable ocean organisms (T)
Endangered Animal Species
o Problem: How has the number of endangered species changed?
o Use the table to answer various questions about endangered species
o Questions to include
 Which of the categories had the largest number of endangered species in 1996?
Was this the same category with the largest number as in 1994? Explain.
 In which categories did the number of endangered species increase between
1994 and 1996? Which category increased the most? By how much?
 When is a species considered to be endangered
 A species is considered to be endangered when its population drops to a
level where it may not be able to recover, putting the species in danger
of becoming extinct
 What are four ways that species may become endangered
 Habitat destruction, poaching, pollution, & introduction of exotic
species can all cause species to become endangered
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Why is it important to protect endangered species against extinction
 Endangered species should be protected in order to preserve
biodiversity. Biodiversity is important because organisms and
ecosystems are a source of beauty and recreation. Also, many species
are essential for human survival because they provide food, oxygen, and
raw materials for medicines and other products. In addition, all species
in an ecosystem are connected. The extinction of one species can affect
the survival of other species that depend on that species for food,
shelter, or other needs. The extinction of a keystone species can
damage or destroy an entire ecosystem
Key Terms crossword puzzle is also on the test: word bank is provided