1.In 150-200 words, how would you categorize the level of biodiversity in your own hometown? What factors cause these levels to be so high or low?

I have been living in Athens, Pennsylvania all my life and have encountered a fairly high share of biodiversity. I live in an area full of farms, hills, forests, and protected parks which expose me to many species of birds, plants, trees, and other forest based life due to the habitat that surrounds me. The Susquehanna River flows through my town and additional creeks, lakes, and streams which means there is a variety of marine biodiversity as well. As the weather changes with the seasons I am fortunate enough to see a variety of diverse species come out during different times of the year. Looking out my back door I come across a variety of different birds chirping, deer wandering past, and I can hear coyotes howling during the nighttime. Over the years I have come to learn that several of the species that were once living in Pennsylvania have gone extinct due to many factors such as habitat loss, invasive species, climate change, human population, ect which saddens me quite a bit.

2. In 150-200 words, explain what are some ways you can protect the future of biodiversity in your hometown?

In order to protect the future of biodiversity in my town we can start by setting more strict laws. There are a lot of activities that should be regulated in order to stop nearby lakes and rivers from getting polluted and wiping out the marine life. These activities include gas drilling, motor boating, or even spreading manure. The run-off of gas, chemicals, and even manure that are involved in these activities can lead to the killing of a large amount of animals living in the water. Gas drilling has become huge in my town which has led to my community becoming more populated. Due to the increase in population, there has been a demand for more hotels. In order to build these hotels, trees have been cut down to open up more land to build on.  If we preserved specific areas and turned them into protected areas, we could save a significant amount of forests. This could lead to potentially saving a high amount of birds, insects, plants that are located there. Such small things being done in my town could ensure the safety of biodiversity that surrounds the area.

3. Some find it hard to grasp the concept of biodiversity. In order to better understand what was explained in Module 10, find an image that represents or illustrates biodiversity and explain in a short description the habitat the species lives in. Make sure to cite any sources that may be used additionally.

In my picture above is an orange salamander that can be found around the United States. I chose this animal to represent biodiversity because I have caught many of these in the woods behind my house growing up. Salamanders are amphibians that look like a cross between a frog and a lizard and have many species. The salamander’s habitat depends on what type of salamander it is. No matter the species, all salamanders need to keep their skin moist and need to have offspring in water, so a nearby water source is critical. Most species live in humid forests, though there are some exceptions. Salamanders are typically more active during cool times of the day and are nocturnal. During the day they lounge under rocks or in trees to stay cool, and come out to eat at night. We see how many factors such as climate and water sources are required to support the lifestyle of these salamanders that may be living in the woods behind your house. This small amphibian is just one of the many diverse creatures that are trying to hold on to the habitat they live in.

Bradford, By Alina. “Facts About Salamanders.” LiveScience. October 29, 2015.     Accessed April 13, 2016. http://www.livescience.com/52627-salamanders.html.