Exam 9: Sustaining Biodiversity: the Species Approach

The Alaska state government is trying to have the polar bear removed from the threatened species list because they thinking it may hurt economic growth.

How many human generations will it take for biodiversity to recover if the extinction rates for this century are correct?

Biodiversity experts estimate that during this century the extinction rate due to human activities will rise to _____ times the background extinction rate.

Illegal hunting for profit is called

The ____________________ suggests we should take measures to prevent or reduce harm to the environment and human health even if some of the cause-and-effect relationships have not been fully established scientifically.

Explain what you think E.O.Wilson meant when he said, "The first animal species to go are the big, the slow, the tasty, and those with valuable parts such as tusks and skins."

The "extinction capital" of the United States is Alaska.

Consider the case study on the extinction of passenger pigeons.Many of the things done to these birds were cruel by today's standards.Do you think we would have acted in the same fashion, or are we "more enlightened?" Explain your view.

Throughout the 3.5 billion year history of life on earth there has been a natural, low rate of species extinction know as

All mass extinctions thus far have been caused by natural phenomena that drastically changed environmental conditions.

The greatest eliminator of species is over-hunting and over-fishing.

Organized crime has moved into illegal wildlife smuggling because of the huge profits involved.

It is easier to remove an invasive species than it is to control their introduction.

An endangered species

A 2006 study estimated the total polar bear population is likely to decline by how much by 2025?

The 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, along with other studies, indicate humans have taken over and disturbed approximately how much of the land surface?

The introduction of nonnative species often results in unforeseen consequences.This experience indicates that when introducing nonnative species we would be well advised to apply the

In terms of habitat destruction, the greatest eliminator of species is

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) is one of the most important environmental laws ever written.From the beginning there have been those persons who have not been convinced the law is necessary, or that it is worth the added expense to protect many of the animals listed as endangered or threatened.As political administrations come and go, the willingness to support the ESA waxes and wanes.Do you think changes need to be made to the ESA? Do you think the changes as given in the list on page 208 should be adopted? Choose two or three from the list and explain your opposition or support for them.

Continuing decline of pollinator populations, such as honeybees, could cause a serious disruption of food production for humans.