1. In a paragraph of 200 to 350 words, describe a factor that threatens biodiversity and why it’s bad. What can we do to help stop threats to biodiversity? What have we done to stop the threats?
2. In a paragraph of 150 to 250 words, describe the pros and cons to biodiversity conservation.
3. In a paragraph of 150 to 250 words, describe what happens when a species becomes extinct. How does it influence the negative feedback loop?

Answers:

1. I’m going to use overharvesting as a threat to biodiversity because globalization has had a massive influence on our “hunting and gathering.” With new technology we are able to transport mass amounts of goods and preserve them for longer. For instance, we have bigger nets that allow us to capture more fish which are then stored in a large refrigeration unit on a big ship for transport. Also, we are clearing out large amounts of land in order to mass produce crops. We now have certain chemicals or pesticides that preserve foods longer, allowing us to transport and keep food longer. Overharvesting of fish causes a disruption in evolution and reproduction. If we continuously overharvest then certain species will become extinct. This disrupts nature because other consequences are at hand. A loss in a predatory fish means that there will be an overabundance of prey fish. Also, if we continuously cut down forests we are destroying certain species’ habitats. This can cause an extinction of different species which then, will disrupt the evolutionary aspect. We can do certain things to try and stop threats to biodiversity such as; enforcing strict nature reserves, national parks, protecting natural monuments, creating habitat/species management areas, protecting landscape/seascape and managing a resource protected area. These types of actions have been taken. For instance, Yellowstone National Park is mentioned in this module as an area that protected nature by restricting human uses with it.

2. A pro to biodiversity conversation is saving the different species of nature and not disrupting the negative feedback loop. The conservation of biodiversity does not cause a threat, meaning that species will not become extinct. It also allows these beautiful habitats to survive so we can appreciate them for years to come. We could also use these areas for recreational purposes.  Some of these conservation methods are intended to balance ecosystem protection with human recreation; such as national parks. A con is the issue with the social justices. National parks do not allow any form of extraction, thus denying people of resources. An example that the module gives is how the Native Americans in Montana were negatively affected by the production of Glacier National Park. The Native Americans once lived in that area, where they hunted and gathered, but then were denied those opportunities once the park came about.

3. When a species become extinct it has a massive effect on the negative feedback loop. Everything in the environment or certain habitats are interlinked. It’s similar to a chain. When one species dies out or becomes extinct, it influences other species thus creating a disturbance in the negative feedback loop. For instance, in a rainforest the vegetation carries the nutrients rather than the soil. The nutrients from the plants are transferred through the water since the soil is not fertile. This means that once a rainforest is cut down, it is nearly impossible to grow another due to the lack of fertility in the soil. Another example is the Cod issue in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. The fishery in that area was an important commercial fishery for hundreds of years. However, the mass amount of fishing led to a massive population drop in predatory fish which caused a massive population increase in prey fish.