Biodiversity is important for a number of reasons.

Question

Want to see the full answer?

Answer 1

Question

Chapter 18, Problem 1MC

Summary Introduction

Introduction:

Biodiversity is important for a number of reasons.

Expert Solution & Answer

Want to see the full answer?

Check out a sample textbook solution

See solution

Students have asked these similar questions

A conservation biologist has been asked to explain why it is important to protect biodiversity. She would list all of the following reasons except for which one? A. Humans are dependent on many species for food, medicines, fiber, and other necessities. B. Biodiversity can be exploited indefinitely for the profit of humans. C. Other species have inherent value and humans have a moral obligation to protect them. D. Biodiverse ecosystems provide ecosystem services that sustain all life on Earth. E. Biodiversity provides emotional and physical health benefits by providing places for humans to visit for wonder, insight, and exercise.

Changing conditions put intense pressure on organisms-some of which become extinct. For example, of the original 62 species of honeycreeper found in Hawaii only 18 remain. Scientists have the technologies that may allow bringing back organisms that have become extinct. This brings up ethical questions about the cost/benefit of resurrecting extinct species and whether it is the right thing to do. Joseph Bennett, a professor of biology at Carleton University in Ontario, wanted to determine the cost of resurrecting and maintaining an extinct species. Since the up-front cost of resurrecting an extinct species is very difficult to determine, the researchers decided instead to look at the cost of reintroducing and protecting a resurrected organism in the wild. To accomplish this, the researchers considered 70 animals from New Zealand and 29 animals from New South Wales that went extinct within the last 1,000 years. From this list, they chose 11 New Zealand species and five NSW species that…

Which of the scenarios below illustrate(s) a trade off relating to functional diversity and life history traits? Select all that apply A- The C3 photosynthetic pathway is more energy efficient than C4 and CAM, but less water efficient. B-Plants that produce large seeds generally produce very few, while plants that produce small seeds generally produce many of them. C- Indices of species diversity rely both on species richness and species evenness, but not on species relatedness D- Endothermic animals are better able to maintain their preferred body temperature than ectothermic animals, but expend a large amount of metabolic energy to do so. E- Organisms that specialize on a single food source may use that resource more efficiently than generalists, but risk starvation if unable to find their particular food source.