Black and White, and Spread All Over

1. Talk About ItThe Great Lakes are home to more than 20 native mussel species. Why are the zebra and quagga mussels so much more destructive than the lakes’ native mussels? Black and White, and Spread All Over • Zebra mussels and quagga mussels were accidentally introduced into Lake St. Clair in the late 1980s. • They have since spread throughout the Great Lakes system and connecting rivers. • The invasive mussels have a high economic and ecological cost.

2. Lesson 5Evolution Mechanisms of Biological Evolution: Mutation and Migration Mutation Migration (gene flow) Accidental change in DNA that can give rise to variation among individuals Movement of individuals into (immigration) or out of (emigration) a population

3. Lesson 5Evolution Mechanisms of Biological Evolution: Genetic Drift and Natural Selection Natural Selection Genetic Drift Process by which traits useful for survival and reproduction are passed on more frequently than those that are not Evolution that occurs by chance

4. Lesson 5Evolution Conditions of Natural Selection (1) Organisms produce more offspring than can survive. (2) Individuals vary in characteristics, some of which are heritable. (3) Individuals vary in fitness, or reproductive success. Did You Know?Darwin privately researched natural selection for two decades before publishing On the Origin of Species.

5. Lesson 5Evolution Artificial Selection • Selection under human direction • Throughout history, humans have chosen and bred animals and plants with beneficial traits.

6. Lesson 5Evolution Speciation • Process by which new species are generated • Can occur in a number of different ways; the most important way is called allopatric speciation • Has resulted in every form of life on Earth— today and in the past Allopatric Speciation

7. Talk About ItWhich elephant population control effort— moving them, sterilizing them, or culling them—do you think has the best chance for long-term, positive effects? Too Much of a Good Thing? • Elephant populations in southern Africa declined sharply due to hunting but have made overwhelming comebacks within nature reserves and parks. • Some worry that elephant overpopulation is causing a decline in local biodiversity and damage to farms and infrastructure. • Many efforts to control elephant populations are being considered and put into practice.

8. Lesson 6Defining Biomes Earth’s Major Biomes • Groups of terrestrial ecosystems that share biotic and abiotic conditions • 10 primary biomes: • Tropical rain forest • Dry forest savanna • Desert • Temperate rain forest • Temperate forest • Temperate grassland • Chaparral • Boreal forest • Tundra • Savanna *Characterizedby their climates as well as by typical plant and animal life.

9. Polar Ice and Mountains Lesson 6 Biomes • Not classified as biomes • No land under polar ice in Northern Hemisphere; ice sits atop Antarctica in Southern Hemisphere • Very few plants; most life is in surrounding ocean • Mountain communities change with elevation, similar to how biome communities change with latitude.

10. Talk About ItWhat are the benefits of wildlife conservation? Are there drawbacks? Saving the Siberian Tiger • Siberian tigers are one of five remaining tiger subspecies. • In the early 20th century, hunting and habitat loss reduced the wild population to just 20–30 animals. • Conservation efforts have helped the wild population rebound to 450–500 today.

11. Lesson 7 Extinction and Biodiversity Loss Causes of Biodiversity Loss • Habitat change and loss • Invasive species • Pollution • Overharvesting Siberian tiger

12. Lesson 7 Extinction and Biodiversity Loss Habitat Change and Loss • Greatest cause of biodiversity loss • Organisms, adapted to their habitat, decline in population when the habitat changes. • Habitat fragmentation: Patches of suitable habitat surrounded by unsuitable habitat • In general, larger habitat fragments can support greater biodiversity than smaller fragments. Did You Know?Habitat change or destruction is the primary cause of population decline in more than 80% of threatened birds and mammals.

13. Lesson 7 Extinction and Biodiversity Loss Invasive Species, Pollution, and Overharvesting • Invasive species can out-compete and displace native species. • Harmful chemicals and materials that make their way into habitats can poison people and wildlife. • Occasionally, species can be driven toward extinction by hunting or overharvesting by humans. Examples include Siberian tigers and passenger pigeons. Once common in North America, the passenger pigeon is now extinct.

14. Lesson 7 Extinction and Biodiversity Loss Climate Change • Increasingly becoming a factor in biodiversity loss • Unlike the other factors, climate change will have a potentially global effect on biodiversity. Did You Know?Scientists predict that a 1.5–2.5C global temperature increase could put 20–30% of plant and animal species at increased risk of extinction.

15. Talk About ItIs it ethical for governments to limit or encourage human population growth? China’s One-Child Policy • In 1970, the average Chinese woman had about six children. • Since 1979, China has used a system of rewards and punishments to enforce a one-child limit to slow population growth. • In 2005, there were 32 million more males than females in China under the age of 20.

16. Lesson 8 People and Their Environments The Wealth Gap • Currently, the richest 20% of the world’s people use 86% of its resources. • As developing nations such as China continue to develop, new environmental problems will emerge, as the need for and use of resources increases. • Resource availability affects quality of life. • http://www.utrend.tv/v/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact/ Did You Know?Globally, 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day, and another 2.6 billion live on less than $2 per day. Burning of fossil fuels creates a haze of pollution over the eastern coast of China.