Lesson Objectives: To identify and analyze the difference between intrinsic and instrumental value of

wildlife species.

Read the Future of Life, interact with the text using sticky notes, please DO NOT WRITE ON THE PACKET.
Skim the entire article and answer the questions below, pages are given as a reference, but you are
expected to read the entire article.

Future of Life Reading Guide.

Skim pages 42-47

1. What is the rate that the Living Planet Index is decreasing a year?
3 percent each year
2. How many bird species were native to Hawaii? How many are still in existence today?
145 bird species were native to Hawaii. 35 of the original species remain, of that number, 24 are
endangered.

3. At the start, what was the principal destroyer of Hawaiian flora and fauna?
Habitat Destruction was the principal destroyer.

Read 47-50

4. What are the arch-destroyers of Hawaiian biota? Why?

The African big-headed ant and feral strains of the common pig. The ants live in super colonies,
and when they spread out, they drive out other species. The pig also reduces some of the food
supply for smaller species. They also dug pools of water which led to more mosquitos.

5. What does HIPPO stand for?

Habitat Destruction

Invasive Species

Pollution

Population

Overharvesting

6. Which element of HIPPO is the most incursive in the world?

Population is the most incursive in the world. This is because that people, use too much of the
resources that are around them.
Read pages 52-54
7. What is the reason for the Marmot’s decline?
Marmots have declined because of the larger predators that are around the lower slopes, and
that their hibernation cycle won’t adapt.

8. The story of the snails presents a new problem. What happened with the introduction of a new
snail species? What does this warn against in current agriculture and development?
The new snail species ate most of the native snail species. They did this instead of
helping to control the population. The snails show that in current agriculture and
development, that you don’t know how any one species will react when entered into a
new environment.

Read page 55
9. The “Declining Amphibian Phenomenon” was caused by which HIPPO element? How is this,
ultimately attributed to a human problem?

It was caused by Habitat Destruction. This is a human problem because some of the factors that
are attributing to this decline is pollution.

Read page 56
10. What is an inbreeding depression?
An inbreeding depression is when usually smaller populations of amphibians inbreed with each
other. This is typically done between the species that are closely related, like siblings, and first
cousins.

Read page 58
11. What is the most consequential form of habitat destruction? Why (provide 2 examples)?

The most consequential form of habitat destruction is the clearing of forest. When habitats are
destroyed, then it reduces the amount of species that can live there sustainably. Also as the
habitat shrinks the number of species living in that area shrinks to the sixth to the third root of
the area.

Read page 61
12. The savanna and coastal sagebrush take up __1.4____ percent of the world’s land surface.
These lands are home to ___44__ percent of the world’s plant species and __a third__________
of all species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Read page 63
13. Why are rainforests so fragile? (Think of soil and rain)
 Rain forest are fragile because when a large amount of forests are cleared and burned, then the
soil is very loose. As a result, the heavy rain found in rainforest, washes it all away

Read pages 67-70

14. What does this article say about global warming? (provide evidence)
The article states that there can no longer be any doubt about global warming, and its
consequences. Experiments have been done to determine if the mean surface temperatures
have been increasing or not. Their conclusion stated that from 1500 to 1900 the mean surface
temperature rose .9 degree Fahrenheit. Also from 1900 up until this time the mean surface
temperature has risen the same amount. The findings by the IPCC in 1996, led to the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol, which is an international treaty that wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2
percent within ten years.

Read pages 67-70

15. For the ten introduced species, pick 5, list how they came to America, the problem caused, and
the benefits.

 Chestnut Fungus- They were introduced by accident when logs from Asia were imported
into New York City. This fungus changed and got rid of the entire timber land
environment. There has not been a benefit discovered for them yet.
 Red imported Fire Ant- This species was introduced from the border of Brazil and
Argentina. It was imported into Mobile, Alabama. Their harm is that they are a pest to
wildlife and households. The benefit is that they prey on other pests in sugarcane fields.
 Purple loosestrife- It was introduced as an ornamental from Europe into the gardens and
wetlands on the US Atlantic Seaboard. Their harm is that they carve out elements from
the native wetland vegetation. Their benefit is that they add beauty to the land that
they occupy.
 Kudzu- It was brought into the US to help decorate the Japanese Pavilion at the
Philadelphia Centennial exposition. Their harm is that they cover a vast majority of land.
They smother gardens and small agricultural fields. Their benefit is that they can be
used as shade plants.
 Balsam woolly adelgid- A very small insect with a huge environment wallop. Their harm
is that they have wiped the majority of the adult fir trees. They do not have a benefit as
of now.
Read pages 71-75

16. What do you think of Wilson’s portrayal of earth in 2100 and the testament that the 21 st century
that we’ll leave?

It seems like as a species humans will thrive. We will have enough resources to last, and new
technology will help us live longer, and eradicate most diseases. On the other hand, the natural
world will suffer. Most of the forest will be gone, and there will be no more biodiversity. In my
opinion, I think that as humans we have an obligation to not only look after ourselves, but to
look after the earth itself.