Adaptation and

Extinction
Quarter 1 | Lesson 3
 Extinction
Extinction is the loss of an entire species anywhere in the world. This is generally
caused by natural and biological factors that affect organisms and their habitats.

Natural Factors Biological Factors

Large-scale volcanic eruptions Growing population

Earthquakes Competition
Tsunamis Predation
Typhoons
Impact Events
Human activities are regarded as the main reason for the current extinction of
species. The following are the human-induced factors that trigger extinction:

Introduction of invasive alien species

Human-induced climate change

Pollution

Overexploitation of natural resources

Habitat loss and degradation

Introduction of invasive
alien species

Invasive alien species are

species intentionally or
accidentally to a habitat
that compete with native
species for resources. If
the alien species
successfully establish
Japanese beetles are an invasive species in
themselves in their new North America. They are native to the islands of
ecosystem, they can drive Japan, where their population is naturally
the native species to controlled by predators such as wasps. These
extinction. wasps do not exist in North America, and
Japanese beetles have become a major pest to
farmers growing crops such as grapes.
 Human-induced climate
change

The excessive emission of

greenhouse gases, such as
carbon dioxide and nitrous
oxides, traps heat on Earth’s
atmosphere. This phenomenon
leads to the increase in the
average global temperatures
called global warming. Global
warming forces species to adjust
their tolerance to heat. If the As the ice melted, the polar bears' habitat
species cannot adopt to this became fragmented, resulting in a rapid
increase in genetic isolation and inbreeding
temperature change, they can
among regions due to reduced contact with
become extinct. polar bears from the outside.
 Pollution

Pollution can alter habitats

just as severe as habitat
destruction does. Solid
wastes require spaces for
landfills, which may displace
animals from their natural
habitats. Some industries
dump toxic chemicals in
rivers and oceans. These
may kill plants and animals,
and render bodies of water
Insafe for marine
organisms.
Overexploitation of
natural resources

The exponential
growth of human
population entails an
increase in the
demand for natural
resources. The
deliberate
overexploitation of
resources can lead to
loss of biodiversity.
Habitat loss and
degradation

Loss of natural
habitats
threatens the
lives of
organisms. About
85 to 90 percent
of threatened and
endangered
species are due
to habitat loss.
Vulnerability of Species to Extinction

Limited geographical range

Adapted to a very stable environment

Specialized diet

Small population size

Low genetic diversity

Harvested and hunted

Large body size

 Limited
geographical
range

Species that are

restricted to a small
area or habitat may
have a hard time
adjusting to a new
environmental
conditions due to
their limited
geographical range.
Adapted to a very
stable
environment

Species in a stable
environment may
experience trauma
when there is a
small change or
variation to their
surroundings.
 Specialized diet

Species with a
highly specialized
diet may become
extinct when their
food supply
declines. An
example is the giant
panda. Which only
eats young bamboo
shots.
Small population
size

Species with small

population size are
vulnerable to
extinction because
they can be easily
wiped out.
Examples are the
Mindoro tamaraw
and the Philippine
eagle.
 Low genetic
diversity

Species with low

genetic diversity
cannot easily
adapt to changes
in the
environment.
They are more
likely to succumb
to diseases and Cheetahs went through a population bottleneck
competition. at the end of the last ice age which reduced the
genetic diversity. Coupled with intense hunting ,
genetic diversity has not yet recovered.
 Harvested and
hunted

Species used for

human consumption
are overexploited. If
harvesting and
hunting are not
regulated, these
species may end up
extinct. Examples
are humpback,
whale, and wild pig.
 Large body size

Bigger species need

more space, require
more food, and can
be easily hunted
since they are more
visible. An example
is the whale shark
and elephant.