Ch. 11 Reading Q’s: Sustaining Biodiversity: Species Approach
Miller: Living in the Environment
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Core Case Study: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone forever
a. Explain how the passenger pigeon became extinct.
b. What will happen to humans if we keep destroying the world’s biodiversity?
Species Extinction
a. Three types of Species Extinction
i. List and describe the 3 types of extinction
b. Endangered and Threatened Species
i. Define endangered species and threatened species.
ii. Looking at figure 11-4, list 8 characteristics of endangered species.
c. Estimating Extinction Rates is a tough job
i. What is a Red List?
ii. How are scientists using the theory of island biogeography to estimate extinction rates?
d. Effects of Human Activities on Extinction Rates
i. What is the normal, natural extinction rate?
ii. What is the current extinction rate?
iii. What are 3 reasons why biologists believe .01%-1% to be conservative estimates of the
extinction rate?
Importance of Wild Species
a. Why should we preserve wild species?
i. List and describe 4 benefits of wild species to humans.
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
a. Habitat Destruction, Degradation, and Fragmentation
i. List 4 basic causes of habitat destruction and 9 secondary causes of habitat destruction.
ii. What is an endemic species?
iii. What is a habitat island?
iv. What is habitat fragmentation?
b. Case Study: A Disturbing Message from the birds
i. What is happening to our bird population globally?
ii. List 4 threats to most migratory birds.
iii. List 4 environmental benefits of birds.
Invasive Species
a. Deliberately introduced Species
i. List 4 problems with invasive species and why they can become harmful.
ii. The Kudzu Vine:
1. List 2 advantages of the Kudzu vine and 2 problems with the Kudzu Vine.
iii. List 2 deliberately introduced species. What are 2 benefits and two problems with these
species?
b. Accidentally Introduced Invasive Species
i. List 2 ways species are accidentally introduced.
ii. Describe the locations of the zebra mussel, fire ant, and Burmese python and how they
arrived at these places.
c. Solutions: Reducing threats from invasive species
i. List 4 solutions to reduce the numbers of invasive species.
ii. List 7 characteristics of invasive species.
iii. List 6 characteristics of ecosystems that are vulnerable to invasive species.
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Population Growth, Pollution, and Climate Change
a. Population Growth, Overconsumption, and Pollution
i. Explain how DDT effected biodiversity.
b. Climate Change
i. Explain how climate change is effecting biodiversity.
Overexploitation
a. Illegal Killing or Sale of Wild Species
i. Pick 3 endangered species and give their net worth to a poacher.
b. Killing species we don’t like
i. What are 2 consequences of killing predators?
c. Collecting Exotic Pets and Plants
i. List and describe 3 species of animals and 1 species of plant that is collected in the US.
d. Case Study: Rising Demand for Bushmeat in Africa
i. What is bushmeat?
ii. Why are people hunting more bushmeat now?
iii. What are 2 consequences of hunting and eating bushmeat?
Protecting Wild Species: Legal and Economic Approaches
a. Global Outlook: International Treaties
i. Describe CITES and CBD.
b. Case Study: The US Endangered Species Act
i. What does the ESA do?
ii. What are some consequences for people who violate the ESA?
iii. What are the USFWS and NMFS supposed to do about endangered species? Do they do
this?
c. Encouraging private Landowners to Protect Endangered Species
i. Describe Habitat conservation plans and safe harbor agreements.
d. The future of the ESA
i. What are 6 suggestions that have arisen that would weaken the ESA?
ii. How many projects have been declined because they violate the ESA in the past 30
years?
iii. What are 3 recommendations made to make the ESA more effective?
e. A Biodiversity and Ecosystem Protection Act
i. What are 3 principles an ecosystem approach to protection would follow?
Protecting Wild Species: The Sanctuary Approach
a. Wildlife Refuges
i. List 3 wildlife sanctuaries that exist in the US and 3 species they provide sanctuary for.
b. Spotlight: Accomplishments of the Endangered Species Act
i. List 4 accomplishments of the ESA.
c. Gene Banks, Botanical Gardens, and Wildlife Farms
i. What are gene or seed banks?
ii. What are botanical gardens and how do they help preserve plant species?
iii. What are farms and how do they help preserve animal species?
Reconciliation Ecology
a. Sharing the World with Other Species
i. Why does Rosenzweig think the approaches to species conservation will fail in the long run?
ii. What does he suggest instead?
b. Implementing Reconciliation Ecology
i. List 5 strategies that can be used in reconciliation ecology.