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5 Jun 2019

DESCRIBE the changes in forest structure and composition caused by illegal logging and their effects on groups of avian species

1. This an ecology question, therefore you NEED to describe all the changes in forest structure and composition!

2. Answer the question FULLY (every detail matter!!)

3. List your sources (I need to be able to look at your sources)

4. This is a multi-part question, therefore this CANNOT be answered in a couple sentences

Thank you for your help.

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Lelia LubowitzLv2

8 Jun 2019

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Check the Course Announcements at the beginning of the week following the deadline for Part 1 to discover exactly what happened to the deer population on the Kaibab plateau. This information is essential for completion of Part 2.

The second part of your project is to take what you've learned about the Kaibab forest ecosystem and write an accurate description of the boom and bust of this deer population, using correct ecological language. Consider as many of the aspects of these events as you can. Be sure to consider the effects on the other species in the ecosystem as well.

Refer to your on-line materials and the appropriate sections of your textbook. Your discussion should include (but not be confined to) consideration of all of the following concepts: carrying capacity, predator/prey relationships, population cycling, resource partitioning, competitive exclusion, fundamental and realized niches, food chains, food webs and trophic pyramids.

Note that the purpose of this exercise is for you to demonstrate to me that you understand these important concepts of ecology by utilizing them accurately and appropriately in the description of the disaster in the Kaibab forest. Your essay must include both clear indications that you understand the meanings of these principles and clear indication that you understand how these principles can be used to describe what happened to the ecosystem on the Kaibab plateau.

information given of part one: On the north rim of the Grand Canyon, an area called the Kaibab plateau, there is a conifer forest called the Kaibab forest. The forest's trees include pine, fir and spruce. Shrubbery includes a variety of willows, raspberries, etc. A hundred years ago, this forest was a stable ecosystem, housing, among other species, a population of about four thousand mule deer.

These deer were hunted by local Native Americans, who used them for food and other materials. They were also hunted by predators like pumas, wolves and coyotes.

In 1906, the US made this region into a National Game Preserve. With the intent of protecting the deer, hunting was forbidden. Bounties were paid for killing the pumas, wolves and other large animals that preyed on the deer. By 1925, more than 6000 predators had been killed, virtually wiping out the ecosystem's large predators.

*Read the instructions* for Part 2, then consider this additional information about the Kaibab forest.
There are some hints in here to suggest the *minimum* range of the subjects you need to discuss to explain this; You will need to read the chapters and the course materials to understand the meanings of these concepts, and to be able to use them to explain the Kaibab disaster. There are other important concepts as well--so keep your eyes open as you read. It wouldn't hurt to go back and read the original description in Part 1, either. And you may find it necessary to do some quick browsing in areas of your book not directly related to ecology. (For instance, you might just want to do some looking into the nature and importance of the bark and twig ends on a tree.) Do not neglect the on-line essays which are provided for you in this Unit. What you should *not* do is Google the Kaibab, or look it up on a source like Wikipedia. This is not about what you can *discover* about the Kaibab forest.
Your grade will depend upon how completely you convince me you understand the concepts involved in this description. This is your test on ecology--your goal is to convince me that you understand the concepts and terminology of the subject, and can apply them to a real life situation.
Before we go on to the new information, there are a few things that came up as I was grading the Part 1 submissions which I think I should mention, just to keep you from straying in some incorrect directions.
First, remember that your concern is the fate of the Kaibab forest in the *immediate* sense--over tens of years, not thousands. There are no evolutionary issues here, at least in the short term (and that's your concern right now). So we won't be talking about adaptive radiation.
Also, keep your focus on the *Kaibab forest*, not on other ecosystems. Oh, and remember that the Kaibab is pretty isolated--emigration really isn't a reasonable alternative for the species living in this forest.
And finally, until we get to Part 3, the only human interaction we are considering is the initial decision to put bounties on those large predators, which led to their near-extinction in the area. You will be thinking a bit about human hunters trying to control the deer population toward the end, but the rest of the time you're just concerned with the natural processes going on in the ecosystem.
Okay, now on to the actual description of what happened in the Kaibab Forest as a result of killing almost all of the large predators. Remember, your task in Part 2 is going to be to describe and explain all of this using the concepts of ecology which you are learning in Unit 2 of the course.
*****
The primary, most immediate outcome of the removal of the predators from the ecosystem was that the deer population exploded, because the loss of the normal predator populations removed a primary source of population control. And the expanding deer population ate a *lot.* [Hint: explaining this requires discussion of population cycling, predator prey relationships and carrying capacities.]
As the deer population got larger and larger, their impact upon their favored food plants became extreme. They ate a much larger percentage of each year's plant populations, and they ate a larger portion of each individual plant. They also began to eat more from the plants which they didn't like so well--plants normally consumed by other herbivores in the ecosystem. In the winter, the starving deer ate about anything remotely resembling food, including twigs and bark from trees. As a result of the destruction of many of the twig ends of the trees, the spring tree growth was inhibited (why?). The stripping of the bark caused the death of some of the trees (why?). The extreme browsing on the herbaceous plants caused shifts in the plant population diversity, as the deer drove many of their favored plants into extinction within the ecosystem. [Hint: Explanation here will need to include discussion of resource partitioning, competitive exclusion, and realized vs. fundamental niches.]
All of this also impacted upon the rest of the animals in the ecosystem, since many of them depended upon the same kinds of food the deer ate, or depended upon the foods that the deer were eating because they could no longer get the food they favored. Then of course, the smaller predatory species (like foxes and owls) depended upon the health of those populations of small herbivores (like rabbits and mice). [Hint: sounds like food chains, food webs and trophic pyramids come into this part.]
After a couple of decades, the ecosystem was quite altered. The plant community was very different from what it had been before, and the deer herd, though not extinct, was composed of significantly smaller and weaker deer than the herd from the 1890s. (This was partially due to their straightened circumstances re. food, but also partially due to the absence of predators. Why would the removal of the natural predators cause this change in the general vigor of the deer in the herd (and why would the substitution of *human* hunting not exert the same positive influence)?)
Okay, the next phase of your assignment is to describe all the things going on in this ecosystem using the proper terminology that you should be learning from studying this unit of the course. Note that your use of terms like, for instance, "resource partitioning" needs to show that you understand not just what the concept means, but how it is reflected in this specific ecological disaster. Feel free to discuss this as much as you want to on your Discussion Board. Don't ignore the little questions tucked into the above description, and pay attention to those hints. Your response must demonstrate proper understanding of these concepts and how they are demonstrated by the disaster in the Kaibab forest.
This is the largest part of your exam project; your response should reflect the fact that this is a 50 point "essay" question. You are given a lot of organizational clues and hints about what issues you need to include in the information above. Make use of those things.

Question:

Organisms living in Antarctica are thought to be particularly susceptible to change in climatic conditions. How might future climate changes affect the distribution of Antarctic organisms?

Describe the current Antarctic climate and factors that are likely to affect environmental change. Make predictions about future changes to the environment and how this might impact the distribution of organisms in the region.

Below has the format that it could be answered.

below the template, it has exampler template with different topic.

------ template

What do you think is the answer to the question? / What is your perspective on the topic? This is your stance or thesis.

Why do you think this? Give at least three supporting reasons (main points)

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-
-

Use your stance and supporting points to build your plan. For each main point give a brief explanation, some evidence and/or examples you will use to support it. Provide references where appropriate.

I. Introduction

Possible ideas for the introduction:

(What does the reader need to know to understand the essay? Write as a statement rather than a question or keyword)

Proposed thesis statement:

II. Body - The number of body paragraphs will vary from essay to essay, you choose how many you need.

- Topic sentence:

(Include the main point making it clear how it supports your stance)

Explanations /Evidence/ Examples (include references with each fact (author, date)):

Write as a statement of fact not as a question, heading or keyword

- Topic sentence (include the topic and how it supports your stance):

Explanations /Evidence/ Examples (include references (author, date)):

Write as a statement of fact not as a question, heading or keyword

-Topic sentence (include the topic or how it supports your stance):

Explanations /Evidence/ Examples (include references (author, date)):

Write as a statement rather than a question or keyword

III. Conclusion:

(What are the broad implications of the essay?)

DRAFT WRITING

Introduction and first body paragraph

------- exampler template with different topic

I. Introduction

Possible ideas for the introduction

Climate change

Process of OA

Somehow lead to SO

Thesis Statement : All organisms living bathed in an acidic environment will incur a metabolic cost as a result of the energy expended to maintain functioning cell chemistry this results in reduced growth and reproductive outputs. As a consequence population numbers will drop with a flow on reduction in overall ecosystem biomass and diversity.

II. Body

Main Point: OA has a metabolic cost for all marine organisms and affects growth, reproduction and nutrient value as a food source.[CA2]

Examples/Details/Explanations (include references (author, date)) :

Most pronounced in small organisms but is variable and dependant on pH

e.g. krill, gill & haemolymph regulation issues (Flores et al, 2012) ;

e.g. phytoplankton, reduced nutritional value;

e.g. shell forming organisms dissolution of CaCO₃ shells e.g. pteropods

Main Point: The metabolic cost on the individual results in lower numbers of individuals in a population.

Examples/Details/Explanations (include references (author, date)):

This cost results in reduced fertilisation, extended larval development time, deformities

e.g. seastar (Gonzalez-Bernat et al, 2014) detail effects at different pH levels;

e.g. urchin (Sewell et al 2014)

Main Point: A reduction in biomass of any one species has flow on effects up and down the food chain and could be especially pronounced in the unique Southern Ocean ecosystem.

Examples/Details/Explanations (include references (author, date)):

SO characterised by high nutrient low productivity, âwasp-waistâ structure and short food chains

e.g. phytoplankton as primary producers

e.g. krill as important food source

e.g. pteropods as nutrient cyclers

Main Point: Reduced food availability will likely alter interspecific interactions and may result in some species being driven to extinction.

Examples/Details/Explanations (include references (author, date)):

a. competition will increase as a result of less food e.g. between larger birds and mammals as a flow on from loss of krill

b. shell forming species will be at greater risk of predation due to weaker shells

c. e.g. seastars as keystone species maintaining diversity

III. Conclusion

Effects at organism level will impact on total biomass of that species and those that depend on it for food, therefore the overall productivity and biomass of the SO ecosystem will be reduced and loss of species diversity is expected.

Other Ideas to Conclude:

Effects growth and reproduction and is especially costly for shell forming organisms.

Will see changes as a result of effects on organisms with key functions within the SO ecosystem.

Ideas to leave the reader with (clincher):

Global significance of effects of OA on SO (something related to carbon sink and sequestering of Carbon) or perhaps reminding reader that OA is only one consequence of climate change and that organisms will also be at risk from rising sea temps, melting ice, and invasive species.

1. Describe the toxic effects of mercury and its compounds and explain how we are exposed to these toxins. (3 points)

Climate Disruption/Atmospheric Warming â Please answer each question separately in this series of short essays, using your own words. (6 points total) Iâve assigned the number of points required to minimally answer each one, but extra credit may be earned for demonstrating a thorough understanding.

2. Describe a) the Earthâs natural greenhouse effect and the atmospheric gases involved and b) the enhanced greenhouse effect and its consequences. (1 point)

3. In what ways do oceans help moderate climate change? Describe the harmful positive feedback mechanisms involved. (1 point)

4. Thoroughly describe the effects of melting land ice and snow - such as glaciers in Greenland and the Himalayas - on the environment and on people. Describe the positive feedback mechanisms involved. (1.5 points)

5. Describe why melting sea ice does not contribute significantly to sea level rise. (A knowledge of basic physics or chemistry will help.) (0.5 point)

6. So, what ARE the major harmful effects caused by melting sea ice? (1 point)

7. Describe the role of melting permafrost in climate disruption, and the positive feedback mechanisms involved. (1 point)

Risk
8. What are the three major risks you face from each of the following a) your lifestyle, b) where you live, and c) what you do for a living? Which of these is voluntary and which are involuntary? What steps can you take to reduce these risks? (3 points)

Green taxes, tax shifting
9. Summarize how we can discourage pollution and resource waste by taxing it. Why is the United States Congress slow to enact green taxes? (3 points)

Individuals (in Business) Matter
10. Briefly describe Mike Biddleâs contribution to plastics recycling (1 point)

11. Briefly describe three principles of sustainability specifically adopted by Ray Andersonâs carpet company, Interface. (1 point)

Environmental Law
12. Summarize the political controversy over managing the four major types of US public lands. (3 points) For a little extra credit, you may also cite recent news about legislation to open more public land to drilling, mining, logging, etc.

Comprehensive Final Essay: Perverse Subsidies
The negative effects of perverse government subsidies and how they directly compound other problems have been mentioned throughout the textbook and in Myersâ guest essay âPerverse Subsidiesâ. In order to answer the questions below, youâll be gathering your information from various chapters. If you remember sufficient detail without having to look things up, you must say so (âfrom memoryâ). Otherwise, please cite all pages consulted.

NOTE: I am NOT asking for a recap of all the environmental and social problems associated with agriculture, fisheries, mining, etc. (That would be a very long discussion!) Each chapter section describes information specific to subsidies for each industry. Please summarize in your own words. (Total 5 points) Once again, Iâve assigned the number of points required to minimally answer each topic, but extra credit may be earned. This is your chance to pull ahead with your insight into subsidies!

13. Agricultural subsidies
Describe how U.S. government perverse subsidies for industrial agriculture (in general) have negatively affected the environment and society in the U.S. and in other countries. (2 points)

14. Continue to describe the perverse subsidies for each of the following industries, and some of the harmful consequences due to current subsidies: (3 points)

*Fisheries

*Mining

*Oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear power (nonrenewable energy resources)