Kaplan College Forest Invades Tundra & America Coral Reefs Articles Discussion

Assignments include both questions and essay related with the both articles covered and the ideas discussed in the course notes. Additional research might be needed for the essay. Please make sure you provide references for the essay.

You need to review both article and lecture notes to answer the following questions. Few questions may require reviewing related on line short video clips.

Article 15: Forest Invades Tundra.

1. Describe the problem of how the forests invade tundra. Explain the relation between forest invasion to tundra and the climate change.
2. As described in article 15 “Forest Invades Tundra and the New Tenants Could Aggravate Global Warming,” what is it about a change in the Arctic’s albedo that is of such concern to ecologists and climatologists? Explain your answer.
3. As explained in article 15 “Forest Invades Tundra and the New Tenants Could Aggravate Global Warming,” how does the encroachment of willows and other shrubs upon Alaska’s tundra affect a climate warming process? Explain your answer.

Article 16: America’s Coral Reefs: Awash with problems.

1. As detailed in Article 16 “America’s Coral Reefs: Awash with Problems,” how is it that coral reefs are vulnerable to warming? Describe your answer briefly.
2. From the Article 16 “America’s Coral Reefs: Awash with Problems,” name at least three of the nine actions to reduce the adverse impacts of human activities, as set forth in the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs published in March 2000.
3. Watch the 5-minute video clip titled “Polar Bears and Melting Sea Ice Don’t Add Up” at National Wildlife Federation web site. After your video review, based on scientific facts presented, describe why the polar bear population size declines, scarcity of food, and overall polar bear status for the near future.
4. What is coral reef bleaching? Why does it happen? The following coral reef pictures may help your answer.

Healthy Coral Bleached Coral

1. Is there any promising sign to protect Coral Reefs? Briefly describe it.
2. How does technology help to support Coral Reefs? Any examples?
3. Do you think there are inadequate responses to crisis of coral reefs? What are the three factors on failing to respond to the coral reefs crisis in the U.S? Briefly explain them.

Essay: After your reviewed the video clip titled “Coral reef fish danger – Blue Planet – BBC Environment” and another video clip titled “Largest fish market in the world – Blue Planet Deep Trouble – BBC” (both available at youtube or BBC web site), write an essay and explain the moral effect(s) and duties on our biodiversity protection? Also, how would you explain stability of priceless coral reefs and other ecosystems such as rich forests, fisheries, wetlands, well-preserved national and state parks as an insurance principle to current and future biodiversity that all living species must have?