Question

(1) Trophic Cascades in theSerengeti. Watch Dr. Cox's video on "What Rinderpest eradication taught us about the Serengeti", which can be found in the Instructor Insights folder for this week. Then address the following questions: (a) How did eradication of Rinderpest from East Africa increase both the tree and giraffe populations in the Serengeti? (b) How did eradication of Rinderpest from East Africa increase the population of predator species in the Serengeti? (c) What does this tell us about ecosystems?

(2) Biomes. The term "biome" is described in the textbook. For this topic, describe the biome where you grew up (or where you currently live). Identify your location, the biome of the region, and describe the major characteristics of that biome. Add enough detail and commentary from your own experience, so that your answer is 125 words or more. If you're really ambitious, you could consider looking up the "ecoregion". The EPA maintains information about that.

(3) Shrinking Red Knots. Read two of the following three articles: Briggs (2016); Dussault (2016); Zimmer (2016). (A) In your own words summarize the basic story that the articles have in common. (B) Of the two articles you read, which of them do you prefer? Why?

Answer 1

Ans 1) a) The eradication of Rinderpest from East Africa increase both the tree and giraffe populations in Serengeti. In 1975, most of the Africa was free from rinderpest which was first recognized in cattles. This led to high mortality of giraffes, plants and many other living organisms. Rinderpest caused a lot of devastation and was eradicated with help of vaccines. It led to increase the population of trees and giraffes as there was an vaccine that was developed Rinderpest vaccines. It led to increase in the population as there was a reduction in mortality rate with the eradication.

b) The eradication of rinderpest increased the predator species as it stopped the spread of the disease in cattles and other animals. This means more food was able to reach the to the predators as the cattles were no more plaqued by rinderpest which ultimately led to increase in the population of the predator species.

c) This tells us about eco-system that as the demand for food is met by a species, its population increases automatically. It is possible to complete an eradicate a particular disease from the society through vaccination.