Biodiversity Worksheet

Question

Response

What is conservation biology? What is biodiversity?

Conservation biology is part of biology that studies the effects that humans have on the environment and the conservation of biological diversity.

Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life. What this means is that it is the life of all living things: plants, animals, fungi and even bacteria. Biodiversity is classified into 3 sections: species, genetic, and ecological. Biodiversity is estimated to be between 3-30 million types on Earth. Researchers have only found 1.3 million of the different types.( http://nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Biodiversity.aspx)

What is a species?

A species is a group of living organisms that can reproduce, such as humans, American alligator, pine trees, and even microscopic bacteria.

What is the difference between a threatened species, an endangered species, and an extinct species?

A threatened species is specific specie that may become extinct in the future if prevention is not taken to save the specie. A threatened species may show signs of a lesser population due to climate changes, destruction of habitat, or man.

Endangered species are species that are likely to become endangered in the near future. In the United States there are 1,361 plants and animals that are on the endangered species list. Both threatened and endangered species are protected by the federal government.

Extinct species are species that once belonged to flora or fauna, but now no longer exist.

Provide at least one example each of a threatened, endangered, and extinct species, and explain why these species meet the criteria.

An example of a threatened species is the American alligator. In 1967 the American alligator was put on the endangered species list. Then in 1987 the United States Fish and Wildlife services took the American alligator off the list. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife placed the American alligator as a threatened species then. It is considered a threatened species because there are other alligators that closely resemble the American alligator and hunting of alligators still exist in the southern states.

In 1975, the Grizzly bear was placed on the endangered species list. Back then there was only an estimated 250 grizzly bears left in Yellowstone Park Since that time, more than 600 grizzly bears now occupy other areas of the lower 48 states and 600 are in Yellowstone Park..

According to the United States fish and Wildlife, there are many plants and animals that are now extinct.

In the Midwest region of the United States the most notable animal that is now extinct is the Passenger Pigeon. It became extinct in 1914. The passenger pigeon was one of the most abundant birds ever in the United States and maybe even the world. In 1871 the passenger pigeon occupied 850 square miles of Wisconsin’s sandy oak barrens. Their population went from millions in a group to merely dozens. In 1914 the last known living passenger pigeon, Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. Man is the cause of their extinction.

Explain how different species contribute to biodiversity and why conservation biologists are concerned with specific species.

Biodiversity is everywhere. Biodiversity produces food, and materials for living. Biodiversity also contributes to the economy. Without a diversity of pollinators, plants, and soils, our supermarkets would have a lot less produce. (http://nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Biodiversity.aspx)

Medical research and cures are made through biodiversity. By studding different plants and animals, scientist have discovered many cures for diseases.

Biodiversity is important in the ecological aspects of the Earth. Biodiversity such as plants cleans the water we drink and provides oxygen for the air we breathe.

Genetic diversity aids in the prevention of diseases and helps species adjust to climate changes that do occur.