Study Guide to Chapter 15—Plant and Animal Extinction
Introduction—Thoughtfully read the intro. to prepare yourself for the rest of the chapter.
Sec. 15.1—Extinction: Eroding the Earth’s Biological Diversity
Read the description relating to the natural extinction of species. Be able to
explain the rationale for the concern of some of the world’s greatest scientists being so
concerned with the rapid loss of species.
Sec. 15.2—Understanding Population Dynamics
The first part is review. If you grasped these principles in preparing for exam 1,
then perhaps you might just review the bolded terms. One thing that is not review is the
types of population fluctuations—irruptive populations (p.405) and cyclic populations (p.
406). Know the difference between and irruptive cycle and a cyclic cycle (regular,
predictable highs and lows) and look closely at Fig. 15.4. It gives a classic example of an
animal with a cyclic population and one that is cyclic because its prey is cyclic. It’s hard
to get data such as this!
Sec. 15.3—Causes of Extinction
Be prepared to make a list of 6 causes of extinction. You should be able to give
an explanation as to why each could cause extinction. For example, how could the pet
trade possibly lead to an animal’s extinction?
You may skip Case Study 15.1 on p. 408 and “GIS and Remote Sensing” on p 413 .
Do be able to list the 3 main traits of species vulnerable to extinction on pp. 314 to 317.
By all means read Ethics in Resource Management 15.3, pp. 414-415. This is well
thought out and in these times where ethics is avoided in schools and the notion that
“everything is relative”, it is possible that many students will gain from the history of
philosophical thought on the subject of ethics.
Sec. 15.4—Methods of Preventing Extinction
Know the 3 approaches and their good and bad points.
Sec. 15.5—The Endangered Species Act
Know the difference between “endangered” and “threatened.”
Fig. 15.2—Note that the species protected under the act are not just the “charismatic
megafauna” that most people would think of. There are plants, insects, etc.
pp. 421- 422. What does the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES) hope to accomplish?
See next page for KEY WORDS AND PHRASES
page 2, Study guide to chapter 15
KEY WORDS AND PHRASES
LEAVE OUT THE FOLLOWING FROM THE LIST IN THE TEXTBOOK—
Competition
Disease
Dynamic equilibrium
Faunal collapse
Habitat Conservation Plan
Host
Parasite
Parasitism
Population Dynamics
Predation
Predator
Prescribed burn
Specialization
Wetlands