Since jaguars are able to adapt quickly and keep up the pace of living in an environment with such biodiversity, the preservation of these rainforest habitats will provide the organic atmosphere that jaguars need. Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction, explains one theory as to why species, like jaguars, reside and thrive in jungles “One theory holds that more species live in the tropics because the evolutionary clock there ticks faster”, (Kolbert 153). Here Kolbert elaborates on the blurry details of the rate of evolution in the tropics versus other biomes on the planet. Jaguar’s large claws for catching prey, thick skull for protection, and narrow rib cages for speed are all evidence of a rapidly ticking ‘evolutionary clock’;
In this paper Martin is arguing that late quaternary or near time extinctions where caused by human activity or as he calls it “overkill”. Martin recognizes that there have been many forces that have triggered extinctions in the planet on the past but disagrees with the idea that near time extinctions where caused by some commonly believed causes like climate change, disease or nutrient shortage. He argues that the arrival of humans to different continents, islands and the subsequent excessive hunting, the introduction of diseases and other competitors and predators was the cause of extinction of a great number of species “As our species spread to various continents we wiped out their large
A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain is survey medieval Spain, where Christians, Jews, and Muslims once lived side by side and the Muslims were in charge. The book tries to lead the reader to the conclusion that there is indeed a historical precedent for the three major religions establishing a beneficially symbiotic relationship which may be an enduring lesson for coexistence. The author, Chris Lowney, is an ex-Jesuit and holds degrees in medieval history and philosophy.
“If you want to think about why humans are so dangerous to other species, you can picture a poacher in Africa carrying and Ak-47/ better still, you can picture yourself, holding a book on your lap” (Kolbert 266). This excerpt alone sets up the dark narrative that lies within The Sixth Extinction. It is uncomfortable to think about the impact that humans have on the environment on a global scale; however, it is nearly unbearable to recognize individual actions such as reading a book, directly contribute to the devastation of the earth.
Every few years, Hollywood releases a new Planet of the Ape movie, which is always a blockbuster hit. Moviegoers flock to see these movies of how apes rise together and how they are actually more intelligent than meets the eye. Most people do not know the premise behind these movies of how smart and closely related apes are to humans. This is because people probably have never taken a physical anthropology class and have not done research on apes –our closet kins. Known for his immense studies in the fields of apes and monkeys, his long term research in the behavior of chimpanzees and mountain gorillas, and his experience in the forests with the apes, the co-director of the Jane Goodall Research Center and writer of our textbook, primatologist
Jaguars are part of exclusive group known as the “big cats,” which include the lion, tiger, and panther. The scientific name for this species is Panthera Onca. Panthera is a Greek term originating from the Latin word for panther while Onca is derived from the Latin word for lynx. Most Central and South American countries refer to the Jaguar as “el tigre” or the tiger. This is the only big cat found in the New World (western hemisphere) and the only one in the entire genus. The entire taxonomy classification is as follows: Kingdom- Animalia, Phylum- Chordata, Class- Mammalia, Order- Carnivora, Family- Felidae, Genus- Panthera, Species- Panthera Onca.
Neanderthal Extinction Neanderthals and modern humans coexisted for well over 100,000 years. Then suddenly Homo neandertalensis began to die out and surrender the earth to Homo sapiens. Paleontologists and anthropologists have entertained several possibilities for the causes of this event: interbreeding among Neanderthals and humans, competition for natural resources, and Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest.” What the real cause has been has plagued scientists for years. Now, due to an international research team from Germany, those possibilities have been even further deduced, making it easier to pinpoint the exact reason Homo neandertalensis became extinct.
The forest where animals live already deforested because of human activities, for example they build a huge building for office, turn-over the function of forest became farming, and many more. We already felt, the transition of life goes so fast. As the time goes on, people need many foods because human population in the world keep increasing each year. That’s why people cut down the trees and change the forest become farming. But the bad effects that causes animals lose their habitat. Most of them move to another place, find a new place to hold their life, and problems that the chimpanzees face are they can’t find food as usual. Chimpanzees spend six to eight hours each day searching for food. They eat a wide variety of food, 200 different types of plant, and are particularly fond of leaves, fruit, nuts and berries (Banks, 1999). In a long term one by one the chimpanzees died because they can’t survived in their new habitat, that’s happened many times. Beside that they must face new predators likes jungle cat and reptile, it also the effect of human
The biodiversity of this particular biome is vast and rapidly growing. One of the main reasons that there are so many species and animals living within this biome is due to the constant warm weather. It also supplies an almost 100% chance of water and food for the animals within. Small animals, including monkeys, birds, snakes, rodents, frogs and lizards are most common in tropical rainforests. Most of these animals and some insects rema...
The theory of origin of species by Darwin came out in 1859, and how our world really began has been a controversial topic throughout time. Darwin hypothesized that all species originated from one or more original beings. For example, Darwin claimed humans have evolved from apes. This theory challenged the prevailing view at that time, and was questioned by the fields of science and religion. Nevertheless, in the 156 years after the theory was published, the debate continues on how the world has been created. People from different fields tried to use scientific, biblical and theoretical evidence to prove their viewpoint. Based on different viewpoints, people have provided different reasons for the origin of life.
When I started this paper, I had many questions. I wanted to know what all the main theories of dinosaur extinction are and how many there are. I also wanted to know what factors in each theory would have killed these massive beasts. Other questions I had are: had dinosaurs been dying out before the event? Did any dinosaurs survive the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) event? What religious beliefs contradict the dinosaurs’ very existence? The last question I wanted to address was whether or not an event such as this one could happen to us? After five papers and hours of research, some of the new questions I have are: what happened after the Cretaceous/Tertiary event? I would also now like to know if one of these theories could happen to us and how we would be able to handle it. I came up with these questions because I wanted to know we are living with this present danger. Whether a huge ice age could eradicate an entire population of humans is mind-boggling and would be extremely interesting to research. To come up with these new questions, I let my brain wander. I was joking a...
Andrew Isenberg said that “the destruction of the bison was not merely the result of human agency but the consequence of the interaction of human society with a dynamic environment.” Humans and nature both played a large role in the ultimate demise of the bison.
While reading Michelle Gardner-Quinn’s essay about reverence for all life I was truly touched. I found this essay to be vastly eye-opening and incredibly inspiring. When considering which biome is my personal favorite, I come to the conclusion that the tropical rainforest touches my heart. I have had the opportunity to see the beautiful tropical rainforest, and it is an experience I will never forget. Some may say that the tropical rainforest only has humidity, but that is so far from the truth. The tropical rainforest is a biome filled with magnificent plants and animals. It is even said the tropical rainforest biome houses half of the earth’s population of plants and animals. This statement to me relates back to Michelle’s statement about
The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West depicts the satirical side of life. Set in Hollywood during the 1930s, the American Dream supplied each character’s desire. The characters travel to Hollywood in pursuit of fame, money, success, and eventually, love. Throughout the novel, reality slams everyone in the face-their American Dream is not so easily attainable. Eventual downfall and turmoil consume each character as they strive for success.
Section IV is maybe the most vital part in The Origin of Species, since it lays out the guideline of common determination, on which Darwin's hypothesis of development is based. Darwin does not answer each inquiry regarding the root of species in his hypothesis. For instance, he doesn't clarify how varieties really happen in an animal types populace. He basically accept that new varieties in creatures must be turned out to be worthwhile and that, after some time, they change the qualities of the species. How these varieties happen remained a secret until Hugo de Vries found hereditary change in 1903. Moreover, Darwin's clarification of how variety prompts the making of species did not depend on clear confirmation, in light of the fact that the
In January 1925 Percy Fawcett, his son and his son’s friend set out on their journey to discover the secrets of the Amazon Rainforest. There are many things that make it very hard for survival in the Amazon, unless they are indigenous and are used to it, like the living conditions, the diseases carried by the animals and spread to humans, the natives, and the lack of food.