Biodiversity Crisis Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the primary drivers of the current biodiversity crisis?

Anthropogenic stressors (correct)

Natural climatic changes

Natural disasters

Invasive species only

Which statement is true regarding the Holocene extinction?

It began approximately 12,000 years ago. (correct)

It primarily affects only marine species.

It is the first mass extinction in Earth's history.

It has no known impact on large-bodied animals.

What does the term 'extirpation' refer to?

The disappearance of a species from a specific area (correct)

The increase in biodiversity in a specific region

The recovery of a population after near extinction

The total elimination of an entire species globally

What percentage of known species does E.O. Wilson predict could face extinction by the end of the century?

One half Signup and view all the answers

Which group of organisms is particularly at risk according to the current biodiversity crisis?

Large-bodied animals Signup and view all the answers

What is the leading cause of the modern biodiversity crisis in terrestrial ecosystems?

Habitat destruction Signup and view all the answers

Which species is cited as having been driven to extinction by overharvesting during the 19th century?

Passenger Pigeon Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following large mammals went extinct due to early human activity in North America?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What role do island endemics play in extinction vulnerability?

They often lack aversion to predators. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant ecological consequence of habitat destruction in aquatic ecosystems?

Over-harvesting of species Signup and view all the answers

Which factor has contributed to the extinction of species in Australia and New Guinea over 40,000 years ago?

Over-harvesting by humans Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes extirpation from extinction?

Extirpation refers to a species disappearing from a specific area, while extinction refers to their complete disappearance. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following events is associated with the extinction of the Dodo bird?

Predation by introduced species Signup and view all the answers

What is identified as a major factor influencing prehistoric extinctions globally?

Human colonization Signup and view all the answers

The Great Auk went extinct primarily due to which of the following?

Hunting and overharvesting Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic that distinguishes the Holocene extinction from previous mass extinctions?

It has a significant anthropogenic component. Signup and view all the answers

What generally occurs following a mass extinction event?

Adaptive radiation where new species evolve to fill vacant niches. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding natural extinctions?

No biologist has ever witnessed a natural extinction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of the biodiversity crisis mentioned in the content?

Human activities. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following mass extinction events resulted in the largest percentage of species lost?

Permian mass extinction. Signup and view all the answers

What does extirpation refer to in ecological terms?

The complete elimination of a species from a particular area. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a cause of the Ordovician-Silurian extinction?

Global cooling. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a consequence of anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity?

Loss of habitat leading to species decline. Signup and view all the answers

How many mass extinctions have been commonly recognized in Earth's history?

Five. Signup and view all the answers

What has been a major consequence of human-induced extinction events?

Reduction in species richness overall. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ecology Course Outline

BIOL-2101 is an Ecology course taught by Prof. Dan Mennill at the University of Windsor.

Course Lectures

Lecture 1: Introduction to Ecology
Lecture 2: Environmental Influences
Lecture 3: Ecological Energetics
Lecture 4: Nutrient Cycling
Lecture 5: Population Ecology
Lecture 6: Behavioral Ecology Part 1
Lecture 7: Behavioral Ecology Part 2
Lecture 8: Physiological Ecology
Lecture 9: Life Histories
Lecture 10: Community Ecology I
Lecture 11: Community Ecology II
Lecture 12: Disturbance & Succession
Lecture 13: Biomes
Lecture 14: Biodiversity
Lecture 15: Biodiversity
Lecture 16: Landscape Ecology
Lecture 17: Conservation Part 1
Lecture 18: Conservation Part 2
Lecture 19: Resource Ecology
Lecture 20: Paleoecology
Lecture 21: Ecology and Society I
Lecture 22: Ecology and Society II

Lecture 17: Conservation Part I

Topic: Conservation, Historic & Recent Extinctions
Details: Chapter 14 of the textbook
- Meaning of conservation
  - Stewardship of the natural world.
  - Focus on Biological Conservation.
- Focus of Chapter 14
  - Sustainable use of renewable natural resources
Key considerations regarding conservation
- Defining the natural world based on genetic, species richness, and landscape levels. This is essential.
- Valuing biodiversity: instrumental, aesthetic, ecosystem services, and intrinsic values.
- The recognition that humans led to a global biodiversity crisis, resulting in biodiversity loss at a catastrophic rate, and now have a responsibility to mitigate the damage.

Natural Extinctions

Extinctions are a natural part of ecological change.
Most species that have ever existed are now extinct (99%).
Mass extinction events occur when large numbers of species go extinct simultaneously.
Six mass extinctions are documented.

Timeline of Earth's History

Timeline of Earth's evolutionary history, showing key events like the formation of the Earth, the Moon, and the emergence of life.
Time scale information including the Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.
Occurrences of major extinction events throughout these periods (Ordovician-Silurian, Devonian-Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic-Jurassic, Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T)).
Information about the age of major evolutionary events (e.g., first vertebrate land animals, Cambrian explosion, first Hominins, non-avian dinosaurs).

Mass Extinctions

1. 440 mya: Ordovician-Silurian extinction: 25% of marine families went extinct, likely due to global cooling.
2. 370 mya: Devonian-Carboniferous extinction: 19% of marine families went extinct, potentially caused by volcanic activity and climate change.
3. 245 mya: Permian extinction: 54% of families and 96% of species went extinct, likely due to Siberian volcanic activity ("The Great Dying").
4. 210 mya: Triassic-Jurassic extinction: 23% of families went extinct, probably due to volcanic activity.
5. 65 mya: Cretaceous-Tertiary (K/T) extinction: 17% of families and 76% of species went extinct, possibly due to a meteorite impact in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.
Data is available for each extinction event.

Extinctions and Adaptive Radiation

Extinctions can lead to periods of adaptive radiation (appearance of new species).
The Burgess Shale in British Columbia provides valuable evidence of the Cambrian explosion, a major period of diversification.
Examples from the Burgess Shale (Wiwaxia, Opabinia, Anomalocaris).

The Holocene Extinction

The modern biodiversity crisis: A mass extinction.
Key elements of the biodiversity crisis:
- Species extinction rates are exceptionally high.
- The number of endangered and at-risk species is rapidly increasing worldwide.
- Natural communities are diminishing.

E.O. Wilson's Predictions

E.O. Wilson predicts half of known species will go extinct within a century.

Causes of Anthropogenic Extinctions

Over-harvesting: Overuse (e.g., Passenger pigeons)
Introduction of Alien Species: Competitor species and predators (e.g., Zebra mussels)
Habitat Destruction: Conversion to agriculture and industry.
Over-harvesting in aquatic ecosystems The leading cause (e.g., overfishing).

Ecological Labs

Instructions on optional labs and upcoming due dates for projects (including videos).

Upcoming Due Dates

Dates for coursework submissions to be posted online.

Science on Tap Event

An event about birds, details are available as a poster.

Prehistoric Extinctions

The Pleistocene Overkill hypothesis: early humans, migration, leading to the extinction of many large mammals and predators.
Examples from North America (extinction of horses, camels, mammoths).
Examples from other regions (Australia, New Guinea, Madagascar, New Zealand & other locations) - extinctions of large megafauna coincident with human colonization.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the current biodiversity crisis and its impacts on species extinction. Answer questions regarding primary drivers, extirpation, and predictions made by experts like E.O. Wilson. This quiz covers key concepts essential for understanding environmental science.