Question

Exercise 1 Please choose whether the below statements can be used to protect forests or prevent invasive species. (4 points) 1- After taking your dog for a walk, clean its fur and paws very well. 2- Reduce illegal cutting of trees. 3- Use sustainable substitute resources for packaging and building materials. 4- Do not transfer exotic plants from one area to another. Exercise 2 1- The word “HIPPCO” is used to summarize all the human activities that accelerate species extinction. What does the letter C stand for? Explain how this human-related activity can impact the ecosystem. (3 points) 2- Based on what you read in chapter 7, and considering the flow of nutrients and energy in the ecosystem, explain why tropical rain forests support a big variety of living organisms? (3 points)

Answer 1

Exercise 1:

1. Prevent invasive species.

2. Protect forests

3. Protect forests

4. Prevent invasive species.

Exercise 2:

HIPPCO stands for Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Population growth, Pollution and Climate change and overexploitation of resources.

Therefore C refers to Climate change.

The main reason of the climate change is the anthropogenic activities like excessive use of fossil fuels, clearing of forest areas, pollution of water bodies, use of chemically inert compounds etc. The excessive use of fossil fuels generate large number of pollutants including green house gases like methane, carbondioxide (at higher concentrations) etc which tend to increase the overall global temperature leading to melting of glaciers and reduction in the polar snow reserves. The clearing of forests for residential or industrial purposes leads to loss of diversity. Deforestation leads to accumulation of CO2 in the enviroment at higher concentrations leading to lobal warming. Moreover the pollution of water bodies converts them into swampy or marshy areas which becomes suitable for the growth of methanogenic bacteria leading to higher methane production. Overall all these anthropogenic activities has direct effect on the overall climatic conditions and that the climate change leads to unexpected temperature fluctuations, irregular precipitation patterns and has effect on the agricultural yiled also.

2. Tropical rain forests support a big variety of living organisms due to the following reasons:

a) Abundance of nutrients

b) Highly efficient energy flow

c) favourable climate

Thank you