Why species are at risk

Question 1

Define extinction

Answer 1

a natural process that occurs when all individuals of the species are dead

Question 2

Define endangered

Answer 2

when a species is at serious risk of extinction

Question 3

What is the IUCN and what does it do

Answer 3

The International Union of Conservation of nature

assesses species vulnerability to extinction and categorises them into a list called the red list

Question 4

what categories does the red list consist off

Answer 4

1) least concern
2) near threatened
3) vulnerable
4) endangered
5) critically endangered
6) extinct in the wild
7) extinct

Question 5

What are the reasons species become extinct

Answer 5

1) natural selection
2) non-contiguous populations
3) loss of habitat
4) Hedgerow loss
5) over hunting
6) introduced species
7) pollution

Question 6

what is natural selection

Answer 6

occurs when individuals less suited to prevailing conditions reproduce less successfully decreasing the chance of passing on genetics

Question 7

what is a non-contiguous population

Answer 7

populations or groups of species that become isolated from one another, decreasing genetic variation which increases susceptibility to diseases or changes in abiotic conditions

Question 8

Describe how over-hunting can lead to extinction

Answer 8

causes deaths to be greater than births so the population declines eg trophy hunting, over fishing or traditional medicine use