tion Questions Alannah Dodd Period 2
1. Explain the title of the book The Sixth Extinction is a book all about the fact that the earth as we know it has proceeded through 5 “waves” of mass extinctions, and is currently in the middle of yet another wave of mass extinction (the sixth). These “unnatural” occurrences have displayed shocking changes to the variety of species on the globe, hence the title: “The Sixth Extinction, An Unnatural History.”
2. What gave people the idea that organisms may have gone extinct because of catastrophes? The term extinction didn’t really exist until the early 1800s, mastodon bones had been found, but everyone thought they were still roaming around somewhere. Even Thomas Jefferson was …show more content…
The plots were laid out in 2003, which means it provides a good enough window of time to monitor the migration patterns of both the trees and the wildlife in the plot. Silman’s plots (there are 17 in all) are laid out in strips of different elevations, hence the different average temperatures. Basically what all this means is the fact that each plot of different elevation represents a different forest community. Silmon calculates the migration rate of the trees every year (with help from volunteers and graduate students). This experiment is not a controlled experiment due to the fact that Silmon didn’t test one variable at time. When a scientist does an experiment in nature, it’s impossible for him to control everything that happens; hence the experiment is not one that is controlled. The independent variable is the different elevations in which he sets up the plots. He changed where each one was located. The dependent variable is how the trees and species migrated over time, as well as the effects on the wildlife and species in all thirteen of the plots.
9. The acronym for the reasons for biodiversity loss (extinction) is HIPPCO, give examples, found in text, of species that are affected by these.
Habitat loss/ fragmentation –
-The Sumatran rhino pg.219
-the black spider monkey, the brown capuchin monkey, and the bearded saki,(along with several species of birds and frogs …show more content…
120-121
-Corals (due to ocean acidification) pg. specifically 120-121 but talks about ocean acidification and their effects on corals all throughout chapter 6
Overexploitation (overhunting or collecting) -
Megafauna (this theory remains uncertain, but it is believed that humans drove these large mammals to extinction by overkilling them) pg. 229
The great Auk (this bird was driven to extinction by humans killing them for their feathers to make pillows, and they were also killed for their great tasting meat) pg.60
Climate change-
-The disappearance of glaciers has made it hard for polar bears and other mammals in cold climates to survive pg.113
10. What does Kolbert mean by “The New
1. Explain the title of the book The Sixth Extinction is a book all about the fact that the earth as we know it has proceeded through 5 “waves” of mass extinctions, and is currently in the middle of yet another wave of mass extinction (the sixth). These “unnatural” occurrences have displayed shocking changes to the variety of species on the globe, hence the title: “The Sixth Extinction, An Unnatural History.”
2. What gave people the idea that organisms may have gone extinct because of catastrophes? The term extinction didn’t really exist until the early 1800s, mastodon bones had been found, but everyone thought they were still roaming around somewhere. Even Thomas Jefferson was …show more content…
The plots were laid out in 2003, which means it provides a good enough window of time to monitor the migration patterns of both the trees and the wildlife in the plot. Silman’s plots (there are 17 in all) are laid out in strips of different elevations, hence the different average temperatures. Basically what all this means is the fact that each plot of different elevation represents a different forest community. Silmon calculates the migration rate of the trees every year (with help from volunteers and graduate students). This experiment is not a controlled experiment due to the fact that Silmon didn’t test one variable at time. When a scientist does an experiment in nature, it’s impossible for him to control everything that happens; hence the experiment is not one that is controlled. The independent variable is the different elevations in which he sets up the plots. He changed where each one was located. The dependent variable is how the trees and species migrated over time, as well as the effects on the wildlife and species in all thirteen of the plots.
9. The acronym for the reasons for biodiversity loss (extinction) is HIPPCO, give examples, found in text, of species that are affected by these.
Habitat loss/ fragmentation –
-The Sumatran rhino pg.219
-the black spider monkey, the brown capuchin monkey, and the bearded saki,(along with several species of birds and frogs …show more content…
120-121
-Corals (due to ocean acidification) pg. specifically 120-121 but talks about ocean acidification and their effects on corals all throughout chapter 6
Overexploitation (overhunting or collecting) -
Megafauna (this theory remains uncertain, but it is believed that humans drove these large mammals to extinction by overkilling them) pg. 229
The great Auk (this bird was driven to extinction by humans killing them for their feathers to make pillows, and they were also killed for their great tasting meat) pg.60
Climate change-
-The disappearance of glaciers has made it hard for polar bears and other mammals in cold climates to survive pg.113
10. What does Kolbert mean by “The New