A.P. Environmental Science
Presentations and Study Guides for Chapters 10, 11 & 12
Sustaining Terrestrial and Aquatic Biodiversity
Fasten your seat belts! Next Wednesday (that's right, next Wednesday, March 13) you will each provide a
thorough presentation of a portion of Chapter 10, 11, or 12. By the following Monday, March 18, you will each
have written in your notes thorough answers to all of the questions from the study guide below. The good news
is that your classmates will provide most of the answers in their presentations. While your classmates'
presentations will be thorough, you should at least scan all three chapters in your text by March 18. In that way,
you'll be able to answer any questions that were not covered in class. (Be sure to read and take notes on any
sections below that are not covered in a presentation.)
Your presentation will demonstrate your understanding of the material in several ways. First, you will cover
your assigned section in its entirety, including any relevant figures, illustrations, and case studies. Over the
course of your presentation, you will also address all of the relevant questions from the study guide below.
Second, to accompany your presentation, you will provide some sort of visual element to make the material
more understandable. This aide should include any important terms and some sort of outline of the content. (The
format of this visual element is up to you. It may be an overhead transparency, a poster, a handout, or a
powerpoint presentation. All text in your visual element must be typed!) Third, your presentation will be
polished and well organized. Explanations will be in your own words, not recited from the textbook.
For this project, you have the option of working alone or with one other person. Students who work in pairs will
receive the same grade. The study guide below indicates which reading assignments are appropriate for two
people. Those sections marked with ** will not be assigned as topics and need to be read by everyone.
STUDY GUIDE
Be sure to take detailed notes during class presentations on assigned sections below. All questions, whether
they're covered by a presentation or not, will need to be answered in your notes by Monday, March 18.
CHAPTER 10: SUSTAINING TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY: THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH
** CORE CASE STUDY: REINTRODUCING WOLVES TO YELLOWSTONE (p. 191)
Explain how gray wolves are keystone species. What ecological services do they provide? How were other
species affected when gray wolf numbers dropped?
Why did some people protest when the USFWS proposed reintroducing the gray wolf to Yellowstone?
Explain how biodiversity within Yellowstone has improved since the gray wolf was reintroduced.
** HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY (pp. 192-193)
1. Explain how human activities have decreased biodiversity.
2. What are the different types and subtypes of value placed on biodiversity. How do each of these values
support our need to protect biodiversity?
MANAGING AND SUSTAINING FORESTS (pp. 193-199 – 2 people – including Spotlight on p. 194)
3. How are forests classified? Explain each of the three classifications.
4. Which of the above classifications currently accounts for the majority of the world's forests? Which
accounts for the fewest?
5. What is deforestation?
6. According to the text, if deforestation continues at current rates, how long will it be before all remaining
forests have been logged or converted to other uses?
7. What are the benefits and harmful effects of deforestation?
8. Explain the relationship between deforestation and the cutting of wood for fuel. What are alternatives to
wood for fuel?
9. Identify and explain the different methods of tree harvesting. What are the pros and cons of each
method?
10. Discuss some ways in which we can manage forests more sustainably.
CASE STUDY: FOREST RESOURCES AND MANAGAEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES (pp. 199-203 – 2
people – include Solutions, p. 199 and Individuals Matter, p. 200)
11. What has been done in the U.S. to manage forests and forest resources?
12. Identify and describe the three types of forest fires.
13. Explain fire management programs that have existed in the U.S. How have these efforts helped and/or
harmed our forests?
14. Describe advantages and disadvantages to logging in U.S. national forests.
15. How can we reduce the pressure to harvest trees?
16. Explain how the decreasing role of the U.S. in the global production of wood-based products could also
lead to a decrease in biodiversity in the U.S.
CASE STUDY: TROPICAL DEFORESTATION (pp. 203-208 – 2 people – include Individuals Matter, p. 208)
17. Where are large areas of tropical forests being cleared the quickest?
18. What is Brazil's government estimate of deforestation? What is the estimate based on satellite photos?
19. At this rate, when will we have lost at least half of the rainforest?
20. Name at least three reasons why we should care about the rainforest.
21. Consider the typical sequence of events in tropical deforestation. Complete the table below to show how
different groups contribute to the problem.
Who is involved?
What happens?
International lending agencies
(IMF) & developing countries
Timber companies (sometimes
foreign) and governments
Timber companies & ranchers
Ranchers/Govt. & new, poor
settlers
22. Define cash crop (review this term from Human Geography and agriculture).
23. Region
Causes for deforestation
Brazil, Central, & South
America
Africa & Latin America
Other
24. Define savannization. What are some causes of savannization?
25. Describe three strategies for reducing tropical deforestation.
MANAGING AND SUSTAINING GRASSLANDS (pp. 208-210 – 2 people)
Grasslands are the ecosystems second most widely used and altered by human activities.
26. List three ecological services provided by grasslands.
27. Define rangeland and pasture. How can rangeland grass be used sustainably?
28. Define overgrazing. What are three negative effects of overgrazing?
29. Describe three methods for preserving or restoring rangelands.
30. What is threatening the grasslands in the southwestern United States?
31. What is being done to conserve the grasslands in the Southwest?
NATIONAL PARKS (pp. 210-212 – 1 person)
32. What is a national park? How do they differ from regular parks like those found in our neighborhoods?
33. Discuss various threats to national parks both in the U.S. and around the world.
34. How can we sustain our national parks?
NATURE RESERVES (pp. 212-217 – 2 people – include Case Study on Costa Rica, p. 213, and Spotlight, p.
214)
35. What is the difference between a national park and a nature reserve?
36. What percentage of the globe's land is strictly protected from human activities?
37. How do different groups propose we go about protecting land?
38. Explain the idea of habitat corridors and the buffer zone concept for the design and management of
nature reserves.
39. How does Jonathan Adams suggest we go about preserving existing connections in nature?
40. More than two-thirds the world's diversity is concentrated in how many megadiversity countries?
41. Provide examples of community-based conservation efforts.
42. Examine the debate regarding wilderness protection. What efforts towards wilderness protection have
taken place in the U.S.?
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION (pp. 217-219 – 1 person – include Case Study on p. 218)
43. Define ecological restoration. Describe the multiple measures taken as part of the process.
44. Can restoration fully reverse the effects of environmental degradation?
45. What can we all do to help sustain biodiversity?
CHAPTER 11: SUSTAINING BIODIVERSITY: THE SPECIES APPROACH
** CORE CASE STUDY: THE PASSENGER PIGEON (p. 222)
1. List four causes of the extinction of the passenger pigeon.
2. There is considerable evidence that we are now in the early stage of a sixth great extinction. What is different
about this one compared to the last five?
SPECIES EXTINCTION (pp. 223-227 – 2 people)
3. Define local, ecological, and biological extinction.
4. What is the difference between endangered species and threatened (vulnerable) species?
5. What are some characteristics (including behavioral) that make certain species more vulnerable to
extinction? (Look at figure 11-4.)
6.
Why do you think fish top the list of species threatened by premature extinction?
7.
What are the three difficulties in cataloging extinctions?
8.
What is one way scientists attempt to estimate extinction?
9.
What is the theory of island biogeography? According to this theory, what are the two factors that affect
an island's immigration and extinction rates? (Look back at the Case Study on p. 146 for more info.)
10.
The current rate of extinction is at least ____________ times the rate before we arrived on the earth.
This amounts to an annual extinction rate of ____ to ______ per year.
11.
If there are 5 million species on earth, how many extinctions are there per year? What if there are 14
million species?
12.
At a 1% extinction rate, how much of the world's species could we lose by 2030?
13.
What are the three reasons why most biologists think .01%-1% are conservative extinction rate
estimates?
IMPORTANCE OF WILD SPECIES (pp. 227-229 – 2 people – include Case Study, p. 227 and Spotlight, p. 228)
14.
Why should we care if we lose species? Give three instrumental values of biodiversity.
15.
Name one positive and one negative effect of ecotourism.
16.
What does biophilia mean?
17.
Do you feel humans have an ethical obligation to protect species? Why?
HABITAT LOSS, DEGRADATION, AND FRAGMENTATION (pp. 229-232 – 2 people)
18.
Review: what does HIPPO stand for? Which is the greatest threat?
19.
Look at figure 11-7. What is the difference between the basic causes and the secondary causes?
20.
What is a habitat island? Give an example.
21.
Give an example of habitat fragmentation. Why is it so damaging?
22.
What is the primary cause for the massive bird decline? The secondary cause?
23.
Why are birds excellent environmental indicators? What is the “disturbing message” from the birds?
What are some effects of their disappearance?
INVASIVE SPECIES (pp. 233-236 – 2 people – include Case Study, p. 233)
24.
What is the second greatest cause of animal and plant extinctions? What is biotic pollution?
25.
How has globalization affected ecosystems? Give an example.
26.
What are some general characteristics of successful invasive species? Characteristics of ecosystems
vulnerable to invasive species? Provide at least two examples from your own experience or from past chapters
in the book of invasive species taking over.
27.
Which solutions to reducing invasive species threats do you think would work best? Why?
** POPULATION GROWTH, POLLUTION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE (pp. 237 – These two questions are
largely review.)
28.
What two factors have greatly expanded the human ecological footprint? Define affluenza.
29.
What is DDT? According to figure 11-15, if each phytoplankton takes up and retains one unit of DDT,
how many units will a large bird or human ingest?
OVEREXPLOITATION (pp. 237-239 – 2 people)
30.
Type
Causes/Explanation
Illegal trade of wild species
Killing predators and pests
Collecting exotic pets
Bushmeat
PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: LEGAL AND ECONOMIC APPROACHES (pp. 240-242 – 2 people)
31. What treaties exist to protect endangered species and what is their effect?
32. Compare the map in figure 11-18 with the map on p. S14-S15 in the back of your book. Make a few
observations about patterns or similarities that you see.
33. Endangered Species Act of 1973:
a) Why the ESA important?
b) What is the role of private landowners in protecting endangered species? How are they encouraged to care?
Important points of the ESA
How opponents want to change the Accomplishments of the ESA
ESA
(Spotlight, p. 243)
34.
What are the ideas for a new conservation law?
PROTECTING WILD SPECIES: THE SANCTUARY APPROACH (pp.242-245) and RECONCILIATION
ECOLOGY (pp.245-247 – include Case Study, p. 246) (2 people)
35.
What role do refuges play? How are they threatened?
36.
Name three other ways people are trying to preserve species.
37.
What is captive breeding?
38.
What is your opinion of zoos and aquariums? Explain.
39.
What is reconciliation ecology?
CHAPTER 12: SUSTAINING AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY
** CORE CASE STUDY: A BIOLOGICAL ROLLER COASTER RIDE IN LAKE VICTORIA (p. 249)
1.
What four factors caused the extinction of so many fish in Lake Victoria? What is the lesson of this
story?
** AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY (pp. 250-251)
2.
Describe the three patterns of marine biodiversity.
3.
List at least three reasons why aquatic biodiversity is important.
HUMAN IMPACTS ON AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY (pp. 251-255 – 2 people – include Spotlight, p. 254)
4.
Using HIPPO, describe all the threats to aquatic biodiversity.
H
Species destroyed or damaged:
Rising sea levels:
Mangrove forests & wetlands:
Fishing:
Freshwater:
I
How do they arrive?
Asian swamp eel:
Purple loosestrife:
P
Where do most people live?
P
Causes of pollution:
O
What is different about modern day overfishing?
Commercial extinction:
Fish depletion (big fish & small fish):
Bycatch:
Marine and freshwater fish are threatened with extinction by . . .
PROTECTING AND SUSTAINING MARINE BIODIVERSITY (pp. 255-261 – 2 people – Include Case Study,
p. 256; Individuals Matter, p. 257; and Spotlight, p. 259)
5.
What threatens sea turtle species? What are some ways these turtles are being protected?
6.
How is whale harvesting an example of the tragedy of the commons?
7.
What is commercial extinction?
8.
What is the IWC? What has worked? What hasn't?
9.
What is the argument of those in favor of whaling?
10.
What are some ways the open ocean is being protected?
MANAGING AND SUSTAINING MARINE FISHERIES (pp. 261-262 – 1 person; also read Supplement 16 on
p. S51 in the back of your text.)
11.
Looking at the major recommendations for protecting the ocean and the solutions in Figure 12-7, which
options would you be willing to put more money towards? Why?
12.
What is the problem with all of the current approaches towards managing fisheries? What is the
precautionary principle?
13.
How does comanagement work? Outline the pros and cons of individual transfer rights as presented in
Supplement 16 in the back of your text (p. S51).
PROTECTING, SUSTAINING, AND RESTORING WETLANDS (pp. 262-265 – 2 people – include
Individuals Matter, p. 263)
14.
How much of our wetlands have we lost since 1900?
15.
What factors threaten wetlands?
16.
What are some ways wetlands are being protected?
17.
What has caused the degradation of the Florida Everglades? What were some unintended consequences
of this?
18.
Describe the goals of the world's largest ecological restoration project.
19.
What factors may prevent the success of the project in Florida?
PROTECTING, SUSTAINING, AND RESTORING LAKES AND RIVERS (pp. 266-268 – 1 person – include
Individuals Matter, p. 267)
20.
Describe three of the invasive species and their effects that threaten the Great Lakes. (In 2010, there was
an AP essay on zebra mussels!)
21.
List the pros and cons of the dams in the Columbia River.
22.
What are three ways that we can sustainably manage freshwater fish?
23.
Define wild rivers, scenic rivers, and recreational rivers.