Download Envir Science - Biodiversity OEQs

Science Open-Ended Questions
Subject
Unit Name
Environmental Science
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of species, their genetic make-up, and the natural communities in
which they occur. There is an ecological importance of maintaining a high level of biodiversity.
 What can a high level of biodiversity provide? Be specific.
 What do you think humans can do to stop the decrease in biodiversity levels?
The loss of biodiversity in an ecosystem can have a deleterious effect on the overall stability of
an ecosystem.
 How are individual organisms and populations of organisms dependent on each other?
 What do you think would happen if to the biodiversity in a rain forest that has an
exponential rate of deforestation? Explain.
Humans have been a significant threat to biodiversity.
 How has mankind threatened biodiversity?
 Determine approaches that mankind should take in protecting endangered species and
maintain biodiversity, in light of increasing human populations and resource needs.
Each year, the government issues an updated list of endangered and threatened species.
 Define and differentiate between endangered and threatened species.
 What do you think is the most endangered species and why?
Human activities have physical, chemical, and biological consequences for ecosystems; the
magnitude of the impact depends in part on the sensitivity of the system to perturbation.
 Provide examples of worldwide cooperative efforts to protect biodiversity.
 If you were in charge of the a global relief effort, what laws would you implement first
and why?