The range of an organism is where any species can be found throughout the world. Each individual species will have its own unique range, and may even vary between members of a species. The range also includes anywhere an organism might migrate to or hibernate in throughout its lifetime. This is different from dispersal in that dispersal is the actual movement of organisms from one place to another, rather than the actual locations they may be found. Many types of species will have specific adaptations that will assist in making the movement to a new location a lot easier. Some limiting factors, such as the climate of a region, the population of a species, or the abiotic factors in an area can potentially become more harmful than helpful in the dispersal of a species.
A major limiting factor in dispersal would be the climate and weather of a particular region. If the climate is unfamiliar to an organism, it will most likely make the movement more difficult. Dispersal includes organisms moving from their birth site (or where they are born) to a breeding site, or possibly from one breeding site to another. Because many
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Most species will "disperse" in groups. This makes it much easier to find food and water, as well as fighting off the attacks of predators if needed. Because many populations are reaching dangerously low numbers, this could harm the natural movement of organisms. It will make the process of finding a new site much more difficult, and possibly more time-consuming. If this is the case, the number of organisms in a species will only continue to drop. In contrast, species with rising populations may cause further damage to those with low numbers. By having an excessive amount of organisms in their species, they will naturally consume more resources and take up more space, leaving less and less for other
...rganisms’ populations to decrease as well. On the other hand, if the predator’s population was to decrease drastically, then the prey’s population would come to a rise. There may then not be enough food available for the prey. This could also cause populations to decrease.
When it comes to genetic diversity and migration, migration is known as the movement of genetic diversity within a species. Migration of genes not only happens in animals but also in plants through pollen dispersal, vegetative propagules like rhizomes and suckers among others. Migration or in other term gene flow, is said to take place both with the proceeding front of a population when it is colonizing new areas. This happens when genes of two or more populations mix through pollen and seed dispersal. In this case, migration rate is mainly related to the frequency of reproduction and the distance over which seeds and pollen usually disperse.
Biodiversity is influenced by landscape fragmentation at various scales of space and time. The extinction of ecosystem types and component species may cause an increased patchiness of the landscape, resulting in lower population sizes and decreased connectivity. As a result, inhabitants may experience decreased dispersal abilities and lowered gene flows between populations.
There are several environmental risks that go along with the success of de-extinction. Some risks are that “previously benign organisms could become pests in new environments, prove ideal reservoirs or vectors of nasty plagues, or might even harbor dangerous retroviruses in their genomes.” (Document 4, Lines 24-26). These “new” species could spread foreign diseases throughout the environment and completely kill of other species that don’t have the genetic makeup or immune systems to survive, which is a major risk to the human race as
One animal catches the other. But, having too many animals go after one kind of species can lead to a limit in the food source, which causes other animals to run out of food that they need to survive. But if every species has their own beneficial limit to their ecosystem, with the equal amount of resources, then all animals will not face any harm or extinction. This is called biodiversity. All species have fair amounts of everything.
A different scenario takes place when an alien species is transported to a new area. Although direct competition with similar species is still a problem, the new kid in the block may have no natural pests and diseases. Thus, large stands of monocultures can occur. It is generally accepted that one plant species will support 10 species of animals. If one species takes over 99% of a given habitat dozens if not hundreds of species are lost from that area and some populations are stressed enough that extinction is possible.
Malthusian theory also deemed population expansion would have a direct correlation between the environment and its future destruction. The environment is the home not only to humans but also to the wildlife, vegetation, and other living species of the world. “Population will have a very serve, even catastrophic, impact on the natural environment and human welfare (Walker, On Wall Street). Over-populat...
Destroying the habitat of different plants and animals, they no longer have a place to live. Their food source and nutrients are taken away and have nowhere else to go. These organisms will die out and there will be a loss in the diversity of that ecosystem. That ecosystem can then start to crumble as the habitats are taken away and the plants and animals have no home. With no habitat in which the organisms can live in, there is going to be very little diversity.
Humans are destructive. Not a lot of us think about how what we do affects the world around us. We almost act like we are the only ones on this planet. We go around polluting and destroying our world with no regard for our actions. The things that live out in the wild are paying the price for it. Every day that passes there is another animal or plant that is placed on an endangered list. This is happening at an alarming rate. Because of man’s desire to expand and conquer their surroundings, there are animals and plants that are on the brink of extinction that will not be around for our kids and future generations to enjoy if something is not done about it now. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years. There are animals and plants that can only been seen in paintings or early photography. It is because of our early ancestors that we have this problem today and we have to do more to prevent more animals and plants from disappearing forever.
slow extinction, or did it happen all of the sudden? These questions bring rise to many
== = = Human beings are dependent on the Earth's diversity of species for our survival. Wild species play a vital role in the maintenance of the planets ecological functions, yet everyday on the planet 40-100 species become extinct.
Critics claim that species vanish and new ones appear all the time. That’s true, if you’re talking in terms of millennia. Species disappear at an approximate rate of one species per million per year, with new species replacing the lost ones at about the same rate. Although lately humans caused the extinction rate to severely increase, to where entire species are annihilated each day. Nature will take millions of years to repair what is destroyed in just a few decades.
Some main causes of Endangerment are habitat loss, pollution, hunting, competition from non-native plants and animals, plant collecting, logging, clearing forests, and trading animal parts. The growing population also causes some effect because man cause most problems. Diseases or viruses are al...
...eding and locomotion. (flight allows dispersal almost world wide with time). Insects possess all types of legs for running, grabbing, digging, crawling, and clinging etc. They also possess wings. The ability to fly allows insects to disperse from a crowded and deteriorating habitat when necessary. For example, in Africa, populations of up to a billion locusts migrate annually from unsuitable dry areas to greener areas where rains are falling. In North America, Monarch butterflies will migrate to Mexico and coastal California to avoid harsh Canadian winters. Locally, ladybird beetles migrate to mountain tops during winter and summer.
Seed dispersal is the transport or movement of seeds away from the parent plant in order to help prevent the overcrowding (if this happens plants would not have enough food and light to survive in the area) and help to create new colonies. Thus giving the seed the best chance to germinate in a new location away from the parent plant and hopefully start new colonies. Due to the fact plants have limited mobility they rely on a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their seeds via abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) vectors. There are five main methods of seed dispersal, animals, gravity, wind, ballistic and water (1). Fire is also another way for seeds to be dispersed but is not as common as the other methods.