Insects: Origins, Evolution, and Extinction

Question 1

What is a mass extinction?

Answer 1

1. 75% of species go extinct
2. Global
3. Across taxonomic boundaries

Question 2

What causes mass extinctions?

Answer 2

1. Bolide impacts
2. Volcanic activity
3. Global warming and cooling

Question 3

What are the simialrities between the deifnition of a mass extinction and its causes?

Answer 3

1. Large-scale environmental changes
2. Temporary or permanent habitat loss
3. Decreases in resources
4. Faunal turnover

Question 4

What was the end-Permian mass extinction?

Answer 4

1. 95% of all species went extinct
2. ~251 million years ago
3. Cause: Siberian traps
4. The impavt of insects was some orders experienced heavier extinction than others-leading to increased diversification in the surviving order after the extinction event (ex. Coeloptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hyemoptera exploded)

Question 5

What was the Albian/Aptian Insect Extinction Event

Answer 5

1. Modest extinciton
2. ~80 million years ago
3. Cause: expansion of flowering plants (?)

Question 6

What is the current extinction event and how do we know we are in one?

Answer 6

1. Get an idea
2. Collect data and test hypothesis that extinction is occurring (see definition of extinction)

Question 7

What are the causes of this current extinction event?

Answer 7

1. Insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, NEONICOTINOIDS
2. Light pollution
3. Climate change
4. Habitat loss

Question 8

How can you help fight the current extinction event?

Answer 8

1. On a personal level: get rid of lawns, plant pollinator gardens with native plants, assist with natural science projects like iNaturalist
2. Community level organizing
3. National level political action