Summer 2013

ENVIRONMENT

RESEARCH AND REVIEW 3

Biodiversity and Education| a2bitnickel

1

Research and Review

Before you start each story do some research.
Where should you look?
The title helps you find the ideas. In this title we find three (3) words
that will help us.
The url is ~ http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions.
Extinction ~ Species ~ Habitat
Now go find some information to answer these three questions
Find some ideas like ~
What are three habitats in trouble?
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
Why are they in trouble?
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
What solutions can you find to help save habitats?
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
Discuss this when you get to class.

~2~

Topic ~ Biodiversity and Extinction

5x5

Step 1 ~~ Think about 5 different ideas that biodiversity. Look

at your research to help you.
1.___Extinction ____
2._________________
3._________________
4._________________
5._________________
Step 2 ~~ Make 5 questions about each idea. One is done for you.
1.___ Extinction ________
i)
What is the biggest concern about endangered species?
ii) Which species are in the most danger?
iii) How can humans affect the rate of extinction?
iv) Who gains the most from better education?
v)
What advantages are there to using gadgets in education?
2._________________
i)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iv) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
v)
_______________________________________________
~3~

3._________________
i)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iv) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
v)
_______________________________________________
4._________________
i)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iii) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iv) _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
v)
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
5._________________
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
~4~

Step 3 ~~ Make longer one sentence answers for each question.

1.___ Extinction ________
i) What is the biggest concern about endangered species?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
ii) Which species are in the most danger?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
iii) How can humans affect the rate of extinction?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
iv) Who gains the most from better education?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
v) What advantages are there to using gadgets in education?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2._________________
i) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
ii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

~5~

iv) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
v) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3._________________
i) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
ii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iv) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
v) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

~6~

4._________________
i) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
ii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iv) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
v) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
5._________________
i) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
ii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

~7~

iii) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
iv) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
v) ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Read the story

Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions
by Anup Shah / March 03, 2013

Massive Extinctions From Human Activity

Despite knowing about biodiversitys importance for a long time, human activity has been
causing massive extinctions. As the Environment New Service, reported back in August 1999
(previous link): the current extinction rate is now approaching 1,000 times the background rate
and may climb to 10,000 times the background rate during the next century, if present trends
continue [resulting in] a loss that would easily equal those of past extinctions. (Emphasis added)
A major report, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, released in March 2005 highlighted a
substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth, with some 10-30% of the
mammal, bird, and amphibian species threatened with extinction, due to human actions. The
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) added that Earth is unable to keep up in the struggle to
regenerate from the demands we place on it. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) notes in a video that many species are threatened with extinction. In addition,

At threat of extinction are

1 out of 8 birds
1 out of 4 mammals
1 out of 4 conifers
1 out of 3 amphibians
6 out of 7 marine turtles
75% of genetic diversity of agricultural crops has been lost
75% of the worlds fisheries are fully or over exploited

~8~

Up to 70% of the worlds known species risk extinction if the global temperatures rise by
more than 3.5C
1/3rd of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction
Over 350 million people suffer from severe water scarcity

Is this the kind of world we want, it asks?

After all, the short video concludes, our lives are inextricably linked with biodiversity and
ultimately its protection is essential for our very survival:

What kind of world do we want?

In different parts of the world, species face different levels and types of
threats. But overall patterns show a downward trend in most cases.
Proportion of all assessed species in different threat categories of
extinction risk on the IUCN Red List, based on data from 47,677 species.
Source: IUCN, pie chart compiled bySecretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010)
Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010

As explained in the UNs 3rd Global Biodiversity Outlook, the rate of

biodiversity loss has not been reduced because the 5 principle pressures
on biodiversity are persistent, even intensifying:
1. Habitat loss and degradation
2. Climate change
3. Excessive nutrient load and other forms of pollution
4. Over-exploitation and unsustainable use
5. Invasive alien species
Most governments report to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity that these pressures are
affecting biodiversity in their country (see p. 55 of the report). The International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List to assess the conservation status of
species, subspecies, varieties, and even selected subpopulations on a global scale. Extinction
risks out pace any conservation successes. Amphibians are the most at risk, while corals have
had a dramatic increase in risk of extinction in recent years.

Threat status of comprehensively assessed species by IUCN.Source: IUCN, compiled by Secretariat

of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010) Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May 2010, p. 28
(visit for larger image)

~9~

The reasons vary from overuse of resource by humans, climate change, fragmented habitats,
habitat destruction, ocean acidification and more.
Research of long term trends, in the fossil record, suggests that natural speed limits constrain
how quickly biodiversity can rebound after waves of extinction. Hence, the rapid extinction rates
mean that it could take a long time for nature to recover. Consider the following observations
and conclusions from established experts and institutions summarized by Jaan Suurkula, M.D.
and chairman of Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and
Technology (PSRAST), noting the impact that global warming will have on ecosystems and
biodiversity: The world environmental situation is likely to be further aggravated by the
increasingly rapid, large scale global extinction of species. It occurred in the 20th century at a rate
that was a thousand times higher than the average rate during the preceding 65 million years.
This is likely to destabilize various ecosystems including agricultural systems.
In a slow extinction, various balancing mechanisms can develop. No one knows what will be
the result of this extremely rapid extinction rate. What is known, for sure, is that the world
ecological system has been kept in balance through a very complex and multifaceted interaction
between a huge number of species. This rapid extinction is therefore likely to precipitate
collapses of ecosystems at a global scale. This is predicted to create large-scale agricultural
problems, threatening food supplies to hundreds of millions of people. This ecological
prediction does not take into consideration the effects of global warming which will further
aggravate the situation. Industrialized fishing has contributed importantly to mass extinction
due to repeatedly failed attempts at limiting the fishing.
A new global study concludes that 90 percent of all large fishes have disappeared from the
worlds oceans in the past half century, the devastating result of industrial fishing. The study,
which took 10 years to complete and was published in the international journal Nature, paints a
grim picture of the Earths current populations of such species as sharks, swordfish, tuna and
marlin.
The loss of predatory fishes is likely to cause multiple complex imbalances in marine ecology.
Another cause for extensive fish extinction is the destruction of coral reefs. This is caused by a
combination of causes, including warming of oceans, damage from fishing tools and a harmful
infection of coral organisms promoted by ocean pollution. It will take hundreds of thousands of
years to restore what is now being destroyed in a few decades. According to the most
comprehensive study done so far in this field, over a million species will be lost in the coming
50 years. The most important cause was found to be climate change.
NOTE: The above presentation encompasses only the most important and burning global
environmental problems. There are several additional ones, especially in the field of chemical
pollution that contribute to harm the environment or upset the ecological balance.

~ 10 ~

Declining Amphibian Populations

Amphibians are particularly sensitive to changes in the environment. Amphibians have been
described as a marker species or the equivalent of canaries of the coal mines meaning
they provide an important signal to the health of biodiversity; when they are stressed
and struggling, biodiversity may be under pressure. When they are doing well,
biodiversity is probably healthy.
Unfortunately, as has been feared for many years now, amphibian species are declining
at an alarming rate. The Golden Toad of Monteverde, Costa Rica, was among
the first casualties of amphibian declines. Formerly abundant, it was last seen in
1989. (Source: Wikipedia)
Malcom MacCallum of the Biological Sciences Program, Texas A&M University
calculated that the current extinction rate of amphibians could be 211 times the background
amphibian extinction rate . He added that If current estimates of amphibian species in
imminent danger of extinction are included in these calculations, then the current
amphibian extinction rate may range from 25,03945,474 times the background
extinction rate for amphibians. It is difficult to explain this unprecedented and accelerating
rate of extinction as a natural phenomenon.

Vocabulary check
Find the colored words and look them up in the dictionary. There
are ten (10) of them.
__________
1. ______________________________________________________
__________
2. ______________________________________________________
__________
3. ______________________________________________________
__________
~ 11 ~

4. ______________________________________________________
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5. ______________________________________________________
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6. ______________________________________________________
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7. ______________________________________________________
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8. ______________________________________________________
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9. ______________________________________________________
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10. ______________________________________________________
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11. ______________________________________________________
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12. ______________________________________________________
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13. ______________________________________________________
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14. ______________________________________________________
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15. ______________________________________________________
~ 12 ~

__________
16. ______________________________________________________
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17. ______________________________________________________
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18. ______________________________________________________
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19. ______________________________________________________
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20. ______________________________________________________
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21. ______________________________________________________
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22. ______________________________________________________
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23. ______________________________________________________
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24. ______________________________________________________
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25. ______________________________________________________
__________
26. ______________________________________________________

~ 13 ~

Step 4
Step 4 is to put all the answers into paragraphs. Each of the five (5)
in section one (1) is a paragraph. You will have a 5 paragraph essay
now.
1. Extinction
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
2.______________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
3.______________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
~ 14 ~

_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
4.______________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
5.______________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Step 5 is to add an introduction and a conclusion. Do this for your
essay homework.

~ 15 ~

Graphic Organization ~
Main topic = 5 Paragraph Topics

paragraph 1
____________
____________
____________
____________
paragraph 5
____________
____________
____________
____________

Main
topic

paragraph 4
____________
____________
____________
____________

paragraph 2
____________
____________
____________
____________

paragraph 3
____________
____________
____________
____________

~ 16 ~

Discussion Graphic ~ How are habitats linked to extinction?

Answer ~ I think habitats (are / are not) an easy problem to fix because

Problem /
Biodiversty and
Extinction

We can rebuild species

easily through artifical
habitats.

Respond

Respond

Species which become

extinct are just not
strong enough to
continue. It is natural.

Respond

Respond

~ 17 ~

Human needs are more

important than exotic
species.

Respond

Respond

graphic ~ choose one statement from the

list above.

Write it here _____________________________________________

________________________________________________________

To make your argument you should understand that they are connected.
In the next two charts (1) list your argument facts and ideas, (2) show how your argument
connects to both the center point and the other points.

Facts
For

Against

~ 18 ~

graphic ~ choose one statement from the

list above.

If this -- then
If this -- then

Write your statement position here.

____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
If this -- then

____________________________________

If this -- then

______

If this -- then

Now start the

As a team choose which points they will speak about.

Each person will listen for the opposite point and create a new
response to what the other person has said.
A: point 1
B: responds to the point and give a new point.
C: responds to B and give a new point.
After all persons have spoken each person can respond to any point given by the
opposite team, or add more points from their team which will need responding to from
the opposite team.

~ 19 ~