Paraphrase the answers below corresponding to the question.

Directions: Paraphrase the answers below corresponding to the question make sure they are not the same and don’t use the quotes in the answers Just paraphrase it.


Prompt I. What do you suppose happens when populations grow too large? Reason would tell that evolutionarily speaking, species would undergo the natural tendency towards the survival of the fittest.

Read the section on p. 848 Big Idea 4: “When a Population Grows Too Large” and answer the following:

  1. If the deer herd becomes too large should the government pay hunters to reduce the herd size?
    1. The government should consider alternatives to paying hunters to reduce the herd size, but ultimately this is a good idea when the size of the population grows so much that it hurts deer, humans, and other species. This can prevent the deer from being more prone to disease or starvation, can prevent economic damage to “agriculture, landscaping, and forestry,” stop as many deer-vehicle collisions, reduce the likelihood of transmitting Lyme disease, and protecting the entire ecosystem from being harmed.
  2. What is the ideal size of a deer herd for a given area?
    1. The ideal size of a deer herd depends on the amount of land and resources available; ideally, the population would be a self-sustaining population that does not strip the area of its natural resources and bring harm to deer and other species.
  3. Is trophy deer hunting an ideal way to control the herd size?
    1. While trophy deer hunting can be effective, it is not ideal because it wastes much of the deer simply for the trophy. If hunters utilize the meat and perhaps the hide, they can gain trophies of the antlers or heads that may not provide much meat. Hunting not just for trophy but for food ensures that there is less waste from the hunting while controlling herd size. Ideally, setting aside a portion of property for deer herds improves the nutrition and restricts the hunting of young bucks.

Prompt II. There is great debate on the issue of global warming. But what do the findings actually show? Has there been a gradual warming of the Earth’s climate, and if so, what are the reasons for this? Has this phenomenon been the result of natural cycles or human activity?

Read the section on p. 877 Nature of Science: “Global Climate Change” and answer the following:

  1. Should the U.S. and other developed nations pay developing nations to preserve their forests?
    1. I do think that the U.S. should pay developing nations to preserve the forests because “as of 2008m, the United States was responsible for approximately 19% of the global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and is the largest per capita emission producer in the world” (877). Because the U.S. is causing such harm, they have a responsibility to maintain the world’s environmental safety, and paying developing nations to preserve forests could help create more green environment that helps to offset the harm done by industrialized nations. Ideally, it is not the U.S.’s obligation to pay another country, but it does help the greater good and seem to be a form of justice for all the harm done in the past years.
  2. Do individuals have a personal responsibility to help prevent climate change, or is it a governmental responsibility?
    1. Individuals certainly have a personal responsibility to prevent climate change because each person makes choices that impact the environment everyday. This comes from reusing bottles for water instead of using plastic, carpooling instead of driving alone, and eating cleaner foods that were not harmful to the environment. While the government has a responsibility to regulate business and production so that waste is not made in excess that hurts the environment and people, individuals must also be aware that their collective actions take a major toll on the world around us.

Prompt III. It is a well-established fact that human beings largely affect their surrounding environments. But in addition to the good we are capable of doing for the Earth, we can also cause it harm.

Read the section on p. 901 Big Idea 4: “Biomagnification of Mercury” and answer the following:

  1. Would you support higher regulations on coal-fired power plants to reduce their mercury emissions even if it meant an increase in energy costs?
    1. I would definitely support higher regulations on coal-fired power plants to reduce their mercury emissions even if it meant an increase in energy costs because fewer regulations can have a harmful impact on communities. Because coal burning power plants are the largest source of mercury emissions by humans, we have to recognize the harm that mercury pollution could have. It could adversely impact aquatic species, cause mercury poisoning in birds, insects, and even humans. Since an increase in energy costs might be seen as a bad thing, the government should educate the public on the importance of energy conservation and the ways that higher regulations can help stop fetal development problems and mercury poisoning.

Prompt IV, We know that animals can serve as nutritional supports and we as heterotrophs require them for survival. But what happens when we overuse those resources and over consume other organisms disrupting natural biodiversity?

Read the section on p. 915 Big Idea 4: “Overexploitation of Asian Turtles” and answer the following:

  1. Does the buyer or seller hold more responsibility for the overexploitation of the Asian turtles?
    1. They both hold significant responsibility, but buyers in my opinion have more responsibility. The evidence for this comes from the wild collection trade that started in Bangladesh “to supply consumption demands in South China” (915). When there is demand for something, suddenly the suppliers try to find a way of meeting that demand; without the demand, there is no need to supply it. Both are in the wrong for overexploiting the turtles, but it is up to buyers to know what products are actually doing harm to the ecosystem, then change their consumption habits.
  2. What type of ecological impact could an invasive population have upon a native turtle population?
    1. An invasive population could wipe out the resources that native populations need to thrive. They can create competition for the same resources, and then it makes it harder for native populations to thrive. Behavior of invasive species like increased aggression could also threaten the populations, and as resources are drained, populations of native species dwindle. This could result in starvation, disease, or other harm on native animals.