All environments on Earth are crowded with organisms. 2. Healthy ecosystems contain both living and non-living parts. 3. Describe what Bill Nye was trying to demonstrate by removing some of the blocks in his tower of blocks. 4. What does the expression “You pick a flower without jiggling a star” say about ecosystems? 5. In “Consider the Following,” Bill Nye makes a special request to not spread out our development projects. WHY? 6. Name at least two (2) species that have gone extinct. 7. The “best way to wipe out a species” is to change its habitat. 8. The largest ecosystem in the world is the ocean, where a majority of all species live. 9. Name five (5) things you can do to guarantee biodiversity. 10. Of the 30,000,000 species on Earth, how many are lost each HOUR? _ 11. In conclusion, Bill Nye states that “As more and more species disappear, it’s harder and harder to keep an ecosystem in balance because we don’t know WHAT? 12. To keep our ecosystem healthy, we must keep our biodiversity. Page 21: This is a summative grade. 1. How many species go extinct every day? 2. Does species diversity follow any patterns? 3. What is a biodiversity hotspot? 4. Why are so many species disappearing? 5. How is biodiversity measured? 6. What is biodiversity? 7. What are the world’s rarest species? 8. How many species go extinct every day?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Answers:
- All environments on Earth are crowded with organisms because life thrives in all ecosystems, from deserts to rainforests. These organisms interact with each other and their environment, forming complex food webs and ecological relationships.
- Healthy ecosystems contain both living and non-living parts such as animals, plants, bacteria (living), and sunlight, water, air, and rocks (non-living). These parts work together to maintain balance and support life.
- Bill Nye demonstrated the tower of blocks to show that ecosystems are like interconnected structures. By removing blocks (species), the whole structure becomes unstable. This represents how removing species from an ecosystem can cause collapse.
- “You pick a flower without jiggling a star” suggests that all things in nature are connected. Even a small action in one part of an ecosystem can have large effects elsewhere, showing how delicate and linked ecosystems are.
- Bill Nye requests not to spread out development projects because urban sprawl destroys natural habitats. Concentrating development helps preserve large, unbroken areas of natural ecosystems, which is crucial for many species’ survival.
- Two species that have gone extinct are the Passenger Pigeon and the Dodo. Both were driven to extinction by human activities like hunting and habitat destruction.
- The best way to wipe out a species is to change its habitat, because animals and plants depend on specific conditions to survive. Altering or destroying those conditions forces species to adapt, migrate, or die.
- The ocean is the largest ecosystem in the world, covering more than 70% of Earth’s surface and home to the greatest diversity of species.
- Five things you can do to guarantee biodiversity:
- Protect natural habitats
- Plant native species
- Reduce pollution
- Use sustainable resources
- Support conservation efforts
- Over 100 species are lost every hour.
- Bill Nye concludes that as species disappear, it becomes harder to keep ecosystems balanced because we don’t know what each species does or how they interact. We lose crucial knowledge about ecosystem functions.
- To keep our ecosystem healthy, we must protect biodiversity, because all species play a role in maintaining the balance and sustainability of the planet.
Summative (Page 21) Answers:
- Over 200 species go extinct every day.
- Yes, species diversity follows patterns, often being highest in tropical regions like rainforests and coral reefs.
- A biodiversity hotspot is an area with a high number of species found nowhere else, which is also under threat from humans. Example: Madagascar or the Amazon rainforest.
- So many species are disappearing due to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, overhunting, and invasive species.
- Biodiversity is measured by counting the number of different species in an area, known as species richness, and considering genetic and ecosystem diversity.
- Biodiversity is the variety of all living things, including species, genetics, and ecosystems, on Earth.
- Some of the world’s rarest species include the Amur leopard, Vaquita porpoise, and Javan rhino, all critically endangered.
- Over 200 species go extinct every day, due to human impact on the environment.
Explanation
Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, from genes and species to ecosystems. It supports life-sustaining services such as clean air, water, and fertile soil. Bill Nye’s episode emphasizes the interdependence of species within ecosystems. When he removed blocks from a tower, he illustrated how ecosystems can collapse when even a few species are lost. Each species plays a specific role, like pollinating plants, decomposing waste, or controlling pests. Removing one may lead to unexpected consequences.
The saying “You pick a flower without jiggling a star” captures this delicate balance. Even a small action in nature can ripple outward, affecting distant systems. Therefore, preserving biodiversity is not just about saving animals or plants; it’s about maintaining the stability of the world we live in.
The largest ecosystem, the ocean, houses the majority of Earth’s species. Yet, habitat destruction, especially from urban sprawl, leads to a massive loss of biodiversity. Bill Nye urges compact development to minimize this harm. Every hour, over 100 species vanish—possibly forever—mainly because their habitats are changed or destroyed.
To preserve biodiversity, people can protect habitats, reduce waste, plant native species, and support conservation. Biodiversity hotspots, such as the Amazon or Coral Triangle, need urgent protection due to their high diversity and risk. Measuring biodiversity through species counts and ecological surveys helps scientists monitor these trends.
Ultimately, as Bill Nye states, losing species makes ecosystems harder to manage, especially when we don’t understand all their roles. To keep ecosystems healthy, we must actively protect the planet’s biodiversity.
