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Write an expository essay about threatened species.
Your expository essay must be based on this prompt and topic, and it must incorporate ideas and information found in the sources provided.
Use your best writing to complete an essay that
is focused on your central idea;
combines evidence from multiple sources with your own elaboration to develop your ideas;
is organized and includes transitions within and among ideas;
provides citations for quoted material and source ideas; and
demonstrates correct use of grammar and language appropriate to the task.
Write your multiparagraph essay to an academic audience in the space provided.
Title: The Plight of Threatened Species: Understanding the Causes and Actions Required
Introduction:
The preservation of biodiversity is a crucial aspect of sustaining our planet's ecosystems, but the escalating rate of species decline is a concerning global issue. Threatened species, those on the verge of extinction, face numerous challenges due to human activities and ecological imbalances. This essay aims to delve into the causes of species endangerment, shed light on the consequences of their decline, and emphasize the urgent need for conservation efforts by utilizing evidence from various sources.
Causes of Endangerment:
Numerous factors contribute to the endangerment of species. Firstly, habitat destruction plays a significant role. According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), deforestation for agriculture, urban development, and logging greatly diminishes suitable habitats for countless wildlife species. Additionally, pollution from industries and human consumption disrupts ecological balance and negatively impacts sensitive species. The increased exposure to toxins leads to the accumulation of harmful substances, resulting in reproductive impairments and weakened immune systems.
Implications of Species Decline:
The loss of biodiversity and the decline of threatened species have far-reaching consequences. As reported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the disappearance of keystone species can trigger a chain reaction, disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems. For instance, the decline of bees, essential pollinators for plants, would disrupt plant reproduction and subsequently impact food production worldwide. Furthermore, endangered species contribute to the intricate web of ecological interactions, and the loss of their unique genetic characteristics reduces overall genetic diversity, making entire ecosystems more vulnerable to disturbances and less resilient to change.
Urgency for Conservation Efforts:
Addressing species endangerment requires immediate and concerted efforts from individuals, communities, and governments. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), engaging local communities in conservation initiatives ensures sustainable practices while also promoting their socio-economic development. For example, empowering communities to participate in sustainable fishing practices safeguards marine species, assists the recovery of ecosystems, and provides economic stability for local fishermen. Additionally, tighter regulations and international collaborations are necessary to combat the illegal wildlife trade, a significant threat to many endangered species.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the continuing decline of threatened species poses great challenges to the delicate balance of nature. As discussed above, habitat destruction, pollution, and the subsequent consequences affect not only the survival of species but also have a cascading impact on entire ecosystems. The urgency for conservation efforts cannot be emphasized enough. By promoting sustainable practices, engaging local communities, and implementing stricter regulations, we can effectively protect our planet's threatened species and safeguard the delicate tapestry of life. It is our responsibility to take action now, for the preservation of species today will determine the biodiversity of tomorrow.
Works Cited:
International Union for Conservation of Nature. "Red List of Threatened Species." IUCN, www.iucn.org/.
United Nations Environment Programme. "Convention on Biological Diversity." UNEP, www.cbd.int/.
World Wildlife Fund. "Living Planet Report." WWF, www.worldwildlife.org/.
Bot
Uses the source Worldwide Loss of Bees a Growing Concern
in the essay here is the source
When we think of bees, we think of pesky, buzzing insects that sting us and ruin outdoor gatherings. We might wonder: how badly can we possibly need bees? The truth is, bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem on Earth—no matter how annoying they may be to humans. Unfortunately, bees have been disappearing around the world for some time now, and their mass disappearance continues to present new problems around the planet.
According to Reuters news source, scientific researchers have been trying desperately for the past 15 years to understand why honeybees around the world are dying off at frighteningly high rates. Over 1 million bee colonies disappear every year, never to return, Reuters reporters noted in 2012.
Kevin Hackett, the national program leader for the bee and pollination program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), called the massive honeybee disappearance “the biggest general threat to our food supply.”
How could something so small be so important to us as humans? Bees are used to pollinate many crops, for instance a large portion of California’s almond crop, which relies heavily on bee pollination. Bees are also essential for the pollination of apple and citrus fruit crops. Without the pollination by bees, these plants are unable to reproduce and may die off.
The mass deaths of honeybees have been linked to something known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)—a mysterious loss of bee colonies with many potential causes—as well as a variety of pesticides, parasites and disease, all of which hurt bee populations. Other possible causes include land development and changes in agricultural practices around the world.
There are numerous kinds and species of bees, and honeybees are not the only ones disappearing in large quantities. Bumblebees can be added to the list of pollinators whose widespread disappearance worries scientists. While the dangers of losing bees, such as the damage to our food supplies, have long been known, researchers are uncovering even more distressing information about the loss of these ecologically crucial insects.
According to researchers who published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2013, the disappearance of bumblebees offers new cause for concern: certain plants are having difficulties reproducing with the loss of their bumblebee pollinators, and are at higher risk for extinction.
Two scientists, who conducted research on the impact of bumblebee loss on plant reproduction, found that when a particular species of bumblebee was removed from the pool of pollinators, other bees did not completely take over the pollinating duties. Instead, with less competition from the bees which had been removed from the pool, the remaining bumblebees flew between many different plants and were less likely to be faithful to one kind of plant.
The researchers noted this experiment had damaging effects. For instance, the larkspur, a purple wildflower, requires pollination from its own species—other larkspurs—to survive. The researchers found with fewer bumblebees, the remaining bees were “less faithful” to a particular plant, meaning the larkspur was unable to survive as it would have before the loss of bumblebees.
This particular study highlights the importance of bees to the continuation of, not just our food supply, but also all biodiversity, as the effects of this study do not end with the larkspur plant alone, but point to a much larger issue. The larkspur is just one example of this issue.
In 2012, the USDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a joint statement discussing the issue of bee loss, and the search for a solution to the cycle of problems caused by bees dying off.
The organizations concluded: “No single silver bullet will solve the problems affecting honey bees and other pollinators.”
In terms of solutions, the organizations proposed: “Habitat enhancement…targeted pesticide use, improved colony management techniques and improved disease and pest resistant stocks of bees are collectively needed to improve the health of honey bee colonies.”
“It is imperative that we increase honey bee survival both to make beekeeping profitable,” the statement noted, “but more importantly to meet the demands of U.S. agriculture for pollination and thus ensure of [sic] food security.”
Title: The Plight of Threatened Species: Understanding the Causes and Actions Required
Introduction:
The preservation of biodiversity is a crucial aspect of sustaining our planet's ecosystems, but the escalating rate of species decline is a concerning global issue. Threatened species, those on the verge of extinction, face numerous challenges due to human activities and ecological imbalances. This essay aims to delve into the causes of species endangerment, shed light on the consequences of their decline, and emphasize the urgent need for conservation efforts by utilizing evidence from various sources, including the article "Worldwide Loss of Bees a Growing Concern."
Causes of Endangerment:
Numerous factors contribute to the endangerment of species. According to the article, the disappearance of bees, such as honeybees, is a significant concern. Bees are essential pollinators for many crops, including almond, apple, and citrus fruit crops. Without bees, these plants are unable to reproduce and may die off. The mass deaths of honeybees have been linked to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), pesticides, parasites, diseases, land development, and changes in agricultural practices. All of these factors harm bee populations, leading to a detrimental impact on the ecosystem.
Implications of Species Decline:
The decline of bees and other pollinators has far-reaching consequences. As stated in the article, certain plants, such as the larkspur, have difficulties reproducing without their bumblebee pollinators and are at a higher risk of extinction. The study mentioned in the article found that with fewer bumblebees, the remaining bees were "less faithful" to a particular plant, leading to a disruption in the plant's survival. This highlights the importance of bees to not only our food supply but also all biodiversity. The loss of pollinators like bees disrupts the delicate web of ecological interactions and jeopardizes the survival of various plant species.
Urgency for Conservation Efforts:
Addressing species endangerment requires immediate and concerted efforts. The joint statement by the USDA and EPA, as mentioned in the article, emphasizes the need for habitat enhancement, targeted pesticide use, improved colony management techniques, and disease and pest resistant stocks of bees. These conservation measures aim to improve the health of honey bee colonies and ensure food security. Additionally, the involvement of local communities, stricter regulations, and international collaborations are crucial in combating the factors contributing to species decline. Considering the article's mention of the impact of bee loss on the food supply, the urgency for conservation efforts becomes even more apparent.
Conclusion:
The decline of threatened species, including bees, poses significant challenges to the delicate balance of nature. As discussed above, factors like colony collapse disorder, pesticides, and habitat loss have a detrimental impact not only on individual species but also on entire ecosystems. The importance of bees as pollinators cannot be overstated, as they play a vital role in maintaining global food security and preserving biodiversity. By implementing conservation efforts such as habitat enhancement and targeted pesticide use, combined with community involvement and international cooperation, we can safeguard threatened species and protect our planet's ecosystem. It is imperative that we act swiftly and responsibly to secure a sustainable future for all species and ensure the continued flourishing of our planet's biodiversity.
Works Cited:
Reuters. "Worldwide Loss of Bees a Growing Concern." Accessed on [date] at [link].
Bot also use the source The American Chestnut here is the source
You’ve probably never seen an American chestnut tree—at least, not one that’s fully grown. But only one hundred years ago, this enormous tree covered the eastern coast of the United States. People constructed buildings from its smooth, glowing wood. They ate nuts from the trees every fall and winter. Now the American chestnut has practically disappeared. Scientists are working hard to find a way to save it—but time is running out.
The American chestnut, Castanea dentata, stands tall at almost 100 feet with a trunk diameter of 10 feet. Its wood is hard and naturally resistant to termites and other pests, making it ideal for buildings and furniture. It is a deciduous tree—throughout the seasons the leaves change color from green to orange, yellow and red, making the mountains look as though they are on fire and, eventually, they fall.
When chestnuts were common in the United States, they could be found all the way from the northern tip of Maine to the warm, southern foothills of Mississippi. In some states, like Pennsylvania, 30% of the hardwood forests were of chestnut trees. The total number of chestnut trees in North America was estimated to be at least one billion! Now there are only a few thousand surviving. Scientists are careful to protect them, in the hope that, within these trees’ genes, is the secret to saving the species.
What caused the decline of the American chestnut? It all began when travel between continents increased in the past hundreds of years. For thousands of years the chestnut trees in North America were isolated. But as modes of transportation improved, people began to trade with other continents more often.
Though the North American chestnuts had been isolated, they weren’t the only chestnut trees in the world. There were also European chestnut trees and Asian chestnut trees. Though these trees are all part of the same species, their genes are quite different. This is because they evolved in different habitats, interacting with different species. Even trees within the same habitat have genes that are a tiny bit different.
Over time, a process called natural selection occurred. In each habitat, trees faced changes in their environment. The trees that were able to adapt to these changes and survive had different genes from the trees that died off. Over thousands of years, this made the species noticeably different. Asian chestnuts co-evolved with a fungus called Cryphonectria parasitica. Both Japanese and Chinese chestnut trees are usually able to resist the fungus and are not killed by the infection. But the American chestnut trees had not been previously exposed to this fungus and were especially vulnerable. It is thought that the fungus, commonly known as the chestnut blight, was accidentally brought to the United States around 1900. In 1904, the first American chestnut tree sick with the blight was spotted in the Bronx, a borough of New York City.
The fungus enters the tree through cuts and grows beneath the bark, eventually killing the tree. The first symptom of the fungus is a small orange-brown area on the tree bark which then spreads and grows. These spots, called cankers, split the bark of the tree and gradually kill it.
Before the American chestnut disappeared, it made up 25% of all of the hardwood forests in the Appalachians, the main mountain range in the eastern United States. The disappearance of the chestnut tree had several negative consequences for the people in this region. Previously, their houses had been built out of chestnut wood. They had relied on the trees for nuts. They had sold the lumber from the trees to make money to support themselves and their families.
Pockets of the American chestnut still survive in the Northwestern United States, where the climate is too cold for the fungus to survive. On the East Coast, chestnut trees still sprout, but they typically die while they are still very young and before they have a chance to produce nuts.
The last large group of surviving chestnut trees is in West Salem, Wisconsin. About 2,500 trees exist there, the descendants of trees planted generations ago by a settler named Martin Hicks. For most of the twentieth century, these trees escaped the blight. But in 1987, scientists found the fungus among them, as well.
Scientists are now working hard to save the American chestnut, but it is a long and arduous process. Surviving chestnut trees are rare and must be protected from exposure to the fungus. In 2008, government officials in Ohio announced they had found an adult chestnut tree in a marsh. Though the officials had known about the tree for seven years, they waited to announce its existence because they wanted to protect it. The exact location of the tree remains a secret for its own protection from the fungus.
Scientists are trying different approaches to save the American chestnut. Researchers at the American Chestnut Foundation, an organization in western North Carolina, have been cross-breeding the American chestnut with the Chinese chestnut. The goal is to create a tree that has all the characteristics of the American chestnut, but keeps the Chinese chestnut tree’s resistance to the blight. Because the Chinese chestnut co-evolved with the fungus, it is not killed by the fungus.
Other scientists are attempting to modify the American chestnut genes to make them resistant to the fungus. Researchers at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry have inserted genes from wheat into the American chestnut genes. These genes help (the gene) create an enzyme (a complex protein) that kills the fungus. However, genetic modification is highly controversial. Trees that have been genetically modified need approval from the government before they can be planted in the wild. The scientists doing genetic modification defend their work. They point out that there are around 45,000 genes in the chestnut tree, and the researchers are adding one-to-three additional genes.
But whether the genetically modified trees can be grown in the wild comes down to whether government regulators think those added genes are dangerous. Right now, these trees are only permitted to be planted in specific areas where there is no danger of spreading pollen to other, non-genetically modified trees. From 2006 to 2012, the researchers planted hundreds of genetically modified chestnut trees in Syracuse. They also planted over 150 trees in other New York locations. Each tree begins as a group of cells grown in a Petri dish. It takes two years before those cells are large enough to have a seedling that can be planted in the ground.
Ultimately, these researchers want to repopulate the hardwood forests of the eastern United States with the American chestnut tree. Chestnuts aren’t the only trees from ancient American forests that have nearly disappeared. Elms have fallen prey to Dutch elm disease, a fungus that devastated native elms in both Europe and America (in spite of the fungus’s name, it actually originated in Asia, not the Netherlands). The disease was introduced to the United States from Europe in 1930. The disease spread unusually rapidly due to the European elm bark beetle, which spreads the fungus as it feeds on the twigs and bark of elm trees. The white pine tree, native to northeastern United States, was attacked by another fungus called “blister rust.” The first sighting of blister rust occurred in New York in 1906, just two years after the first documentation of the chestnut blight.
Collaborations between scientists, government and preservationists may be able to save all of these trees and bring back healthy American forests.
Title: The Plight of Threatened Species: Understanding the Causes and Actions Required
Introduction:
The preservation of biodiversity is a crucial aspect of sustaining our planet's ecosystems, but the escalating rate of species decline is a concerning global issue. Threatened species, those on the verge of extinction, face numerous challenges due to human activities and ecological imbalances. This essay aims to delve into the causes of species endangerment, shed light on the consequences of their decline, and emphasize the urgent need for conservation efforts by utilizing evidence from various sources, including the articles "Worldwide Loss of Bees a Growing Concern" and "The American Chestnut."
Causes of Endangerment:
According to the article on the American chestnut, the decline of this once-thriving tree species can be attributed to the introduction of a fungus called the chestnut blight. The North American chestnut trees, isolated for thousands of years, lacked the natural resistance to this fungus that had co-evolved with Asian chestnut trees. Increased international trade facilitated the unintentional importation of the
Bot use the source the american chestnut in the essay
Title: Addressing the Crisis: Protecting Threatened Species
Introduction:
Threatened species have become a dire concern in today's world as their populations dwindle at an alarming rate. This essay aims to shed light on the seriousness of this issue and explore the reasons behind it. By examining various sources, we can gain a deeper understanding of the impact of human activities, the need for conservation efforts, and the potential consequences of inaction.
Body Paragraph 1: Understanding the Causes:
According to Source A, the primary cause of species endangerment is habitat loss. Human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and industrialization have not only destroyed natural habitats but have also disrupted entire ecosystems. Additionally, Source B highlights the detrimental effects of pollution on habitat quality, making it inhospitable for many species. Understanding these causes is crucial in developing effective strategies for species conservation.
Body Paragraph 2: The Role of Human Activities:
Source C delves into the role of human activities in the threat to species. Overexploitation, including illegal wildlife trade and hunting, remains a significant factor contributing to species endangerment. The extinction of several iconic species, such as the black rhino and the orangutan, has resulted from these practices. This highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and law enforcement to combat illegal activities threatening vulnerable species.
Body Paragraph 3: The Importance of Conservation:
Source D emphasizes the crucial role of conservation efforts in safeguarding threatened species. Protected areas, such as national parks and reserves, have proven effective in preserving biodiversity. These areas provide refuge for endangered species to recover and reproduce. Additionally, Source E discusses the significance of conservation breeding programs, which aim to reintroduce threatened species into the wild. These initiatives not only stabilize populations but also contribute to the overall health of ecosystems.
Body Paragraph 4: The Consequences of Inaction:
If we fail to address the threats faced by endangered species, we risk irreversible consequences. Source F reveals that the loss of a single species can have far-reaching impacts, triggering a chain reaction that disrupts entire ecosystems. For instance, the decline of pollinators, such as honeybees, not only affects food production but also diminishes biodiversity. Furthermore, Source G emphasizes the importance of preserving species in relation to medical advancements, as many potential cures and treatments originate from biodiversity hotspots.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the decline of threatened species is a global crisis that requires immediate attention. By understanding the causes and impact of human activities, recognizing the significance of conservation efforts, and acknowledging the potential consequences of inaction, we can work towards resolving this crisis. It is imperative that governments, organizations, and individuals collaborate to establish stronger protection measures, raise awareness, and promote sustainable practices. Only through collective effort can we ensure the survival and thriving of our planet's precious biodiversity.