Andrew Bens

Chapter 9 Review
APES
1. Polar bears are greatly affected by human activities. The increase in temperatures have
shortened the winter, which have shortened the hunting season of the polar bears. This causes
weakness and poor health in polar bears, leading to declining population.

2. Biological extinction is when a species can no longer be found on earth. Background extinction
rate is the small and unnoticed low rate of extinction since the beginning of life on earth.
Extinction rate is expressed as a percentage or a number. The extinction of one species can lead
to the overpopulation of some and the extinction of others. Scientists estimate the extinction
rates by studying records documenting the rates at which animals become extinct since the
beginning of humanity. They also use mathematical models. Extinction experts think that
humans are causing a new mass extinction because if habitat loss due to humans, climate
change, and pollution. Endangered species are near extinct. Threatened species are less near
extinct but are slowly declining in numbers. Characteristics that make species threatened or
extinct are Low reproductive rate, being rare, having commercial value, and living throughout
large territories. The passenger pigeon disappeared because of habitat loss from human urban
and rural areas, uncontrolled commercial hunting, and the easiness of killing them.

3. Three reasons to avoid the extinction of species are: species are a vital part of earths life
support system, species contribution to economic services, and that biodiversity would take
millions of years to renew itself. Two economic benefits of providing biodiversity are ecotourism
and food. Two ecological benefits are medicinal purposes and less ecosystem destruction.

4. The underlying causes of extinction are: population growth, rising resource use, undervaluing
natural capital, and poverty. HIPPCO is a term used to summarize the most important causes of
extinction resulting from human activities. The six largest causes of extinction from human
activities are: habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation, invasive species, population
growth and increasing use of resources, pollution, climate change, and overexploitation. Habitat
fragmentation is the breaking up of habitats into smaller pieces when parts are destroyed by
human activities. The major effects of habitat loss and destruction are population division,
barriers between species, and the inability to find mates and food.

5. The benefits of introducing some nonnative species are increase in food supply and pest control.
Harmful effects of species introduction are overcrowding, ecological disruptions, human health
problems, and economic losses. Kudzu can help soil erosion, and it is edible, but it can cause bad
sights and can engulf and kill trees. You can limit the harmful effects of nonnative species by not
buying wild plants or animals, not releasing wild pets back into nature, not removing wild plants
from their natural areas, and not dumping the contents of aquariums into waterways, wetlands
or storm drains. The honeybee have declined in the United States by parasites, disease, fungus,
bacteria, and cell phone radiation disrupting the navigation systems of worker bees. Honeybees
pollinate plants which provide food for most species, oxygen, and medicinal benefits.

6. Some wild species are poached illegally because their parts can be sold for much money on the
black market. Some species at risk from poaching are African elephants and rhinos and leopards.
Wild tigers are slowly being backed into extinction. They have very little habitat left.

7. About 70% of the birds in the world are declining due to HIPPCO. Roughly 12% of all bird
species are threatened with extinction. We should be alarmed by the threatening of birds
because birds are examples of environmental indicators.

8. Two international treaties to protect species are the U.S. Endangered Species act and the
Endangered Species preservation act.