Unit V Homework Assignment Worksheet—Threatened Species
Species:Houston Toad (Anaxyrus houstonensis)
Red List Link:https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3170/9651352
Introduction
This unit is about ecology, the study of the interaction between living species. As we discussed in the unit lesson, all species are dependent on one another—even trees need birds to eat the insects that want to devour the trees. Some trees, like oaks, need squirrels to plant their acorns. Consequently, when you study a species in the Red List for this assignment, be aware that somewhere along the line, this species is important.
Materials Needed:
A computer with Internet access
Directions:
1. Click onhttps://www.iucnredlist.org(or copy and paste the URL into your browser) to go to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. The site may load somewhat slowly, so be patient.
2. Take a moment to peruse the website. Scroll down and look at a few of the animals and the news articles.
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3. On the Redlist home page, type the state in which you reside in the search box where it says “names - common, scientific, XXXXXXX XXX…” (see below). X XXXX of XXXXXXX will XXXXXX in a XXXX-down menu. You can XXXXXX “more species” from the drop-XXXX menu to see XXXX. XXX will XXXX to study a species that XXXXX near you XXX XXXX XXXXX you XXXXX be able XX XXXX an XXXXXX.
NOTE: XXXX XXXX that XXX XXXXXXX you pick XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXX you. XXX XXXXXXX, the “South Georgia XXXXXX-XXXXXX” does XXX XXXX in XXX state XX Georgia in XXX XXXXXX XXXXXX, but rather XX XXX South XXXXXXX Island near XXXXXXXXXX. To confirm that your XXXXXX species XXXXX XXXX you, select XXX “Geographic range in XXXXXX” link XXXXXXX XXX map XXXX appears.
4. XX XXX pick a species that has a XXXXXXXX XX “XXXXX XXXXXXX,” “data XXXXXXXXX,” or “not XXXXXXXXX.”
Species Selected:
XXX species I XXXX chosen XX the Houston Toad, XXXXX XX native XX XXX XXXX I live in.
Red List XXXX:XXXXX://www.iucnredlist.XXX/species/XXXX/XXXXXXX
What XXXXXXXXXXX XXX You Find?
Study the available information XXXXX your XXXXXXX and answer the following XXXXXXXXX (in XXXX own XXXXX—XX XXX copy XXX paste from the XXXX). XXXX XXXXXXXXX information on the site, XXXX XXX “in XXXXXX” to get a XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX (e.g., population in XXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX in detail, and so on).
XXXXXXX to each question in XXX blank XXXX XXXXXXXXX it. XXXX area will XXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXX.
XXXX XX XXX XXXXXX XXXX and the XXXXXXXXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXXXXX?
XXX XXXXXX name XXX my XXXXXXX is XXX Houston Toad, and its scientific XXXX XXXXXXXXXX houstonensis.
What is XXXX species’ Redlist XXXXXXXX? (For example, endangered, critically XXXXXXXXXX, or XXX XX the XXXXXX.)
XX XXXXXXX’ Redlist XXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX.
XXXX kind of XXXXXXX XXXX XXX species XXXXXXX? XXXXXXX describe the XXXXXXX/biome.
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Tell what XXXXX plants XXX XXXXXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXXX.
My species inhabits XXX XXXXXX XXXXX in southeastern Texas, XXX specifically, the southern pine forest biome. XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXX inhabit pine and XXX XXXXXX habitats with crevasses of sandy XXXX XXX water pools. XXX XXXXX is XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX variance, XXXX precipitation, XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX XXXX, and moderately dense XXXXXX. XXXXX species XXXXX inhabit XXXX habitat/biome include flora XXXX as XXX XXXXXXXX des XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXX Paphiopedilum and XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, XXX fauna XXXX XX XXXXXXX (XXXXXX XXXXXX) and XXXXXXXX (XXXXX XXX XXXXX Spitting Cobra, Pacific Bluetail XXXXX, XXXX Barred Treeskink, Coluber XXXXXXXXXXX).
What are XXXX of the XXXXXXX XX XXX species?
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XXXXX threats XXX caused by XXXXXX?
XXXX XXXXXXX to the Houston XXXX (XXXXXXXX houstonensis)include the growth of residential XXX commercial XXXXXXXXXX in XXX area, such XX XXXXXXX, urban renewal projects, industries and commercial XXXXX. In addition, the XXXXXX of XXXXXXXXXXX and aquaculture in the XXXX XX XXXX and XXXX XXXXXXXXXXX has XXXX XXXXXXXXX XXX natural state XX the XXXXXXX XXXX’s XXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXX, roads XXX railroads XXXX XXXXXX XX in XXX area, XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX corridors have cut XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX Toad’s habitat. Logging XXX wood harvesting XX XXXXX industry has XXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XX the XXXXXXX Toad. XXXXXXXX species have XXXX XXXXXXX the XXXX and competed XXXX the XXXXXXX Toad for resources. Finally, XXXXXXX XXXXXX XXX pollution have XXX to adverse XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXX XX droughts XXX poor water quality, XXXXX have led XXX XXXXXXX XXXX XX XXXXXX endangered.
XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX growth XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXX?
Human XXXXXXXXXX growth XXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX the XXXXXXXXXX of the Houston toad, given XXXX the fast urban XXXXXX XX XXXXXXX XXX XX XXX decline XXX eventual XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX the XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXX the XXXXXXX XXXXX XX XXXXXXX, XXXXXX, and XXXX XXXX. XXXX is because XXXXX population growth led to XXXXXX XXXX XX pollution, destruction XX natural habitats, XXXXXX of transport networks, and residential XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX which XXXXXXXXX the XXXXXXX habitats of the Houston XXXX XXX XXX to its XXXXXXXX decline.
Consider XXX population XX your XXXXXXX.
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What XX the XXXXXXXXX population of the XXXXXXXX XXX how XXX it XXXXXXXX?
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What XX the XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX?
The XXXXXXXXX population of the Houston toad XX estimated XX 2000 XXXXXX XXXXX XX XXXXXXX’s XXXXXX in XXXXXXX county, although RedList notes that the quantity of XXXXXXX toads remaining in seven other counties is XXX known. The XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX is declining, XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX notes XXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX in XXX population. XXX XXXXXXXXXX was XXXXXXXX XXXXX an XXXX XXXXXX in XXXXXXX XXXXXX.
Consider the habitat for XXXX species.
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XXXX XXXXX XX some XXXXXXX dependent factors?
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What might be some XXXXXXX independent factors?
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XXXXXXX list XXXX in XXXXX XXXXXXX change XXXXX be XXXXXXXXX XXXX creature’s XXXXXXX.
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List XXX XXXXXXX people XXX do XX XXXXXXXX XXXX species XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX.
Density XXXXXXXXX factors XXXX XXXXXX XXX Houston XXXX’s habitat of XXX XXXXXXXX pine XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX the XXXXXXXX XX invasive species and XXXXXXXX, and a shortage of food supply XXX XX habitat destruction. Density independent factors XXXX XXXXXX XXX Houston XXXX’s habitat inlucde forest XXXXX, XXXXXXXX (XXXXXX in XXXXX), XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXX habitat XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX by human XXXXXXXXXXX XXX infrastructure XXXXXX.
XXXXXXX XXXXXX XX likely XX affect the Houston XXXX’s habitat in the southern pine forest XXXXXXX by varying XXX temperature in XXX region, XXXXX affects XXX Houston XXXX’s mating patterns and XXXX XXXXXX. Furthermore, XXXXXXX XXXXXX also XXXXXXX in XXX XXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX of XXXXXXXX XXX forest fires, which threaten XXX XXXXXXXXX of XXX XXXXXXX XXXX’s XXXXXXX.
XXXXXX can XXXXXXXX this XXXXXXX and overall XXXXXXXXXXXX in the XXXXXX by XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to stop XXX XXXXXXXXXXX of residential, XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXX infrastructure in known habitats XX the Houston toad. XXXX XXX also XXXXXXX XXXX polluting or littering XXX XXXX inhabited XX XXX Houston XXXX during their hikes and visits, XXX support local XXXXXXX XX XXXXX up the XXXX XXX fence it off from human XXXXXXXX.
List some XXXXXX XXXX can be XXXX to protect XXXX species’ XXXXXXX.
XXX XXXXXXX XXXX’s habitat can be protected by XXXXXXX in place XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXX schemes XX monitor the XXXXXXX health of the XXXXXXX, XXX the XXXXXXXXXX trends of XXX Houston toad. XXXXXXXXXXX, on-site species management XXX XX-XXXX conservation XXX be conducted XX XXXXXXXX XXX Houston toad’s XXXXXXX. It is XXXX important XX demarcate XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX destruction of the XXXXXXX toad’s XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, or pollution XX XXXXX XXXXXXX area and water sources. XXXXXXX, residents XXXXXX XXX area XXX XX educated on how they XXX XXXX XXXXXX XX XXXX XXXXXXXX the area for XXX Houston Toad’s XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX.
Is XXXX species in an XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX? XXXXXXX.
XXX extinction XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXX a XXXXXXXXXX suffers XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX and abiotic XXXXXXX, XXXXX XXXX a XXXXXXXXX population XX XXXXXXXXXX. XXXXX are XXXXXXXXX XXXXX of XXXXXXXXXX vortices, XXXXXXXXX on changes in population size and variability. For XXXXXXX, XX XXX population decreases and variability XXXXXXXXX, XXX population XXXXX become XXXXXXXXXX XXX eventually become extinct. XX the population XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX XXXXX and genetic XXXX XXX XXXX increase as a XXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX, which XXXX also XXXX a XXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXXXX.
Given XXXX XXX XXXXXXX toad is currently XXXXXX a decreasing population and XXXXXXXXXX variability XXX fragmentation in XXX population distribution, XXX Houston toad is XXXXXXXXX in an XXXXXXXXXX vortex.
References
XXXXXXXXX, D., XXXXXXX, A., Larsson, X., & Flodin, X. X. (XXXX). Trapped in XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX? Strong XXXXXXX effects in a XXXXXXXXX vertebrate XXXXXXXXXX. XXX Evolutionary Biology, XX(X), 33.
Written Response Questions
XXXXXXX what it XXXXX XXX a species to be a keystone XXXXXXX, and XXXX an example.
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XX XXX species you picked on XXX XXXXXXX a keystone species? XXX, or XXX XXX?
X keystone XXXXXXX XX a species with an XXXXXX XX the natural ecosystem that is XXXXXX than XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX its XXXXXXXX in XXX ecosystem. These include predators XXX mutualists XXX XXXX XXXXX species depend on to be kept in equilibrium. XXXXXXXXX, XX XXX XXXXXXXXXX of the keystone XXXXXXX changes XXXXXXXX, the stability of XXX ecosystem may be XXXXXXXXX, given XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXX XX essential XXX the XXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXXXX.
The XXXXXXX toad is a keystone species XXXXXXX it occupies a central XXXX in XXX XXXXXX XXXXX and ecosystem, as an important source of prey for XXXX XXXXXXX and XX a source of XXXXX purification XXXXXXX tadpoles’ consumption XX XXXXX.
XX your species XXXXXXX extinct, XXXX changes XXXXX you XXXXXX to occur in its biome XXX the XXXX web?
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Which species might benefit XX your species XXXXXXX XXXXXXX, and why XXXXX that/XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX?
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Which species XXXXX XX XXXXXX if your XXXXXXX becomes XXXXXXX?
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Comment XX possible interaction XX XXXXX XX your XXXXXXX:
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Mutualism
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Predation
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Competition
XX XXX Houston XXXX goes extinct, XXX XXXXX is likely XX XXXXXXXXXX significantly higher levels of water XXXXXXXXX XX a result of XXXXXXXXX algae XXXXXX, without XXXXXXX XXXX tadpoles to XXXXXXX excess XXXXX. Furthermore, species XXXX XXXXX benefit XXXX the extinction XX XXX Houston XXXX would primary be XXX XXXX XX the Houston XXXX, XXXX as crickets, XXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXX XXXXX result in a XXXXX XXXXXXXX in XXX XXXXXXXXXX of insects in the region, which could XXXX lead to XXX XXXXXX of diseases. XXXXXXX which XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXX XXXXXXX frog, such XX the American XXXX XXX XXXXX XXXX, are XXXX XXXXXX to benefit (XXXXXXXX these XXXXXXXXXXX XXX also XXXXXX XX XX in decline for similar XXXXXXX)
XXXXXXX XXXX would be harmed if Houston XXXXX go extinct XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXX, such XX snakes, XXXXXXX and XXXXX-based mammals which consume XXX XXXXXXX XXXX. The decline XXX XXXXXXXXXX of the Houston XXXX population would mean a
loss in food XXXXXX ,XXXXX XXXXX XXXX result in a XXXXXXX in XXX population XX XXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX. XXXXXXX XXXX rely on XXX Houston XXXX in a XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX are also XXXXXX XX XXXXXXX.
XX conclusion, XX the XXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XX XX extinct, XXXXXXX which are competitive and XXXXXXXX XX XXXX benefit, XXXXX species XXXXX have a XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX or XXXX on the XXXXXXX toad will XX harmed.
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