Maintaining Biodiversity, Lesson 2

Maintaining Biodiversity

Poll

• Vicki: Cutting down the forest won't threaten biodiversity in the area because eventually the trees will grow back.

• Dariana: Cutting down the forest destroys the habitat for many different organisms and threatens biodiversity.

• Wei: Cutting down the forest won't threaten biodiversity in the area because the organisms that live there will just find another place to live.

Open Ended

Brainstorm ways that the ecosystems can be protected from the threat of invasive species like the cane toads in the video:

Threats to Biodiversity

Pollution is the contamination of the environment with substances that are harmful to life. You observed another threat to biodiversity at the beginning of this lesson- an invasive species. An invasive species is an organism that is introduced into an ecosystem, either by accident or on purpose, that spreads on its own and outcompetes native species for resources, such as space, food, light, and nutrients.

Multiple Choice

Pollution _________________________.

• is harmful materials put into the environment
• found in air, water, and land
• effects plants, animals, and people
• All of the above

Multiple Choice

Where is pollution found on the earth?
 
 
  

• only in the air 
• only on the land 
• only in the water 
• on land, in the air, and in the water 

Multiple Choice

When human-made chemicals and garbage find their way into nature and harm the air, soil, and water it is called

• pollution

• habitat destruction

• overexploitation

• climate change

Multiple Choice

What is an invasive species?

• A native (naturally found) species which are added to an area. 
• A non-native (not naturally found) species added to an area. 
• A keystone species in an environment
• none of the above

Multiple Choice

Invasive species alter the ecosystem by ______ in number quickly. This leads to ______ food for the native species.

• increasing, less

• increasing, more

• decreasing, less

• decreasing, more

Multiple Choice

True or False: Invasive species grow quickly due to the lack of predators, this leads to a decline or extinction of the native population.

• false
• true

Multiple Select

Invasive plants compete with native plants for --- [choose 3]

• sunlight

• water

• oxygen

• space

Multiple Choice

In 2002, fewer than 200 Siberian tigers remained in the wild due to overhunting and habitat destruction. If this trend continues, what will most likely happen to the Siberian tiger species?

• they may decrease to the point of extinction

• they may develop into a new species

• they will increase in number

• they will find a new place to live

Multiple Select

What is considered deforestation? (Hint: 2 correct answers)

• Cutting down one tree from your backyard

• Cutting down trees to start a farm or build an airport

• Cutting down a vast or mass amount of trees

• Planting new trees

Multiple Choice

True or False: Deforestation is a benefit to rainforest biodiversity.

• True. Deforestation is good for biodiversity.

• False. Deforestation lessens biodiversity.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a threat to biodiversity?

• Pollution

• Deforestation

• Invasive Species

• Ecological Succession

Multiple Choice

Use of a natural resource at a level that results in the unwanted depletion or destruction of the resource

• Recycle

• Reuse

• Overexploitation

• Energy Usage

Multiple Choice

What do scientists think the effect will be of having more greenhouse gases in our atmosphere?

• More warming of the atmosphere

• More air in the atmosphere

• More cooling of the atmosphere

• Less air in the atmosphere

Multiple Choice

Climate change refers to

• The constant fluctuation of Earth's surface temperatures only on land

• The recent increase in Earth's surface temperatures both on land and in oceans

• The recent decrease in Earth's surface temperatures both on land and in oceans

Multiple Select

Select all the possible ways to help protect biodiversity:

• Reforestation- planting trees to replace trees that have been cut or burned down

• Reclamation- restoring land that has been disturbed by mining

• Controlling Invasive Species: using mechanical controls such as fences and trapping; chemical controls such as pesticides; and biological controls such as introducing a predator

• Cleaning Up and Reducing Pollution- the US Clean Water Act and reducing the use of harmful chemicals that can get into the water

• Sustaining Regulations- regulations such as hunting and fishing regulations keep organism populations at sustainable levels

Global warming is the increase in the Earth’s average temperature caused by extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Climate change includes rising temperature due to global warming, and other long-term changes in our climate that may come with it.

Impacts

• Warmer air means warmer oceans. Warmer oceans make stronger hurricanes.

• Less rain is predicted for some areas. That could lead to droughts, which would mean less water for people to drink and to grow food.

• Drier conditions can also lead to more forest fires.

• Melting glaciers and warmer water could raise sea level, flooding coasts. Wildlife that is adapted to a certain habitat may not be able to survive as the habitat changes.

Multiple Choice

The main human activity that releases greenhouse gases is

• using public transportation and there by reduce the affects of greenhouse gases.

• texting on cellphones

• burning fossil fuels

• eating meat

Multiple Choice

What is the greenhouse effect?

• The warming of a planet due to trapped radiation.

• The heating of a solid, such as a rock.

• The cooling of Earth due to air pollution.

Multiple Choice

Increased carbon dioxide may cause global warming by trapping more ____________ in the atmosphere.

• heat

• water

• argon

Multiple Choice

All of the following are considered renewable energy sources EXCEPT –

• Wind

• Coal

• Biomass

• Solar

Multiple Choice

Solar, wind, and hydroelectric power all share this same benefit.

• zero carbon emissions/air pollution

• habitat loss

• cheap to use

• nonrenewable

Multiple Choice

Why is solar energy considered renewable energy?

• It's cheaper than fossil fuels
• The sun's energy would not run out for billions of years
  
• Solar energy recharges batteries
• All of them

Multiple Choice

Renewable energy resources produce less_____________ than fossil fuels.

• pollution

• energy

• wind

• light