Biology 6.3.6

Question 1

What is ‘Extinction’?

Answer 1

Extinction Occurs when there are No Remaining Members of a Species Left Alive.

Question 2

Species that are ___ Adapted to their Environment are Less Likely to ___ & ___, Compared to Species that are ___ Adapted to their Environment.

Answer 2

Poorly, Survive, Reproduce, Well.

Question 3

Name the 5 Main Factors that can Lead to Extinction: (5)

Answer 3

-New Diseases.

-New Predators.

-New, Better Adapted, & More Successful, Competitors.

-Changes to Environment.

-Single Catastrophic Events.

Question 4

Explain the Extinction Factor ‘New Diseases’: (2)

Answer 4

-A Species may Not have Developed Resistance to a Certain Disease/Pathogen.

-This will Lead to Many Members of the Species Catching the Disease, & Dying. The Species will Not have Enough Time to Develop Immunity/Resistance to the New Disease, so the Species Will be Wiped Out Completely (Extinction).

Question 5

Explain the Extinction Factor ‘New Predators’: (2)

Answer 5

-A Species that has Previously Not had to Evolve a Defence Mechanism (eg Camouflage, Horns, Poison, etc) to a Particular Predator, Will be very Vulnerable, if a New Predator Appears.

-This Will Lead to the Species Being Heavily Predated, & the Species May Not Have Time to Adapt (By Developing New Defence Mechanisms), Before it is Wiped Out Completely. Extinctions.

Question 6

Explain the Extinction Factor ‘New, Better Adapted, & More Successful, Competitors’: (3)

Answer 6

-A Species Will Have to Compete for Resources (eg Food) if a New Competitor Species Appears, that Requires the Same Resources.

-If a New Competitor Species is Better Adapted to Take Advantage of these Resources, then it Will Out-Compete the Original Species.

-This May Eventually Lead to the Original Species Being Wiped Out Completely . Extinction.

Question 7

Explain the Extinction Factor ‘Changes to the Environment’: (2)

Answer 7

-If a Change in the Environment Occurs, a Species may Not be Well Adapted to this Change, & may be Wiped Out as a Result (Extinction).

-Eg, as Global Temperatures Rise (Climate Change & Global Warming), Certain Species May Not be Able to Survive at these Higher Temperatures, & May Eventually go Extinct.

Question 8

Explain the Extinction Factor ‘Single Catastrophic Events’: (3)

Answer 8

-Certain Events May be Catastrophic Enough to Wipe Out Entire Ecosystems, or Habitats, & Therefore the Species that Live there as well.

-This is Especially Likely to Occur if the Species has Limited Range (the Area Where it Lives), Close to Where the Event Occurs.

-Eg Asteroid Collisions with the Earth, & Massive Volcanic Eruptions.