Aquaint Yourself with Endangered Species


Introduction \| Aquaint Yourself \| Assignment \| Database Tutorial \| Additional Resources \| Submit Your Answers \| Your Findings
Aquaint Yourself Why do species have value? What factors contribute to the endangerment or extinction of species? Why is it important to protect species from becoming endangered, or even worse, extinct? What can we do to help? Visiting the following links will give you a good start towards understanding why. Home – "Internationally renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand makes his feature directorial debut with this environmentally conscious documentary produced by Luc Besson, and narrated by Glenn Close. Shot in 54 countries and 120 locations over 217 days, Home presents the many wonders of planet Earth from an entirely aerial perspective. As such, we are afforded the unique opportunity to witness our changing environment from an entirely new vantage point. In our 200,000 years on Earth, humanity has hopelessly upset Mother Nature's delicate balance. Some experts claim that we have less than ten years to change our patterns of consumption and reverse the trend before the damage is irreversible. Produced to inspire action and encourage thoughtful debate, Home poses the prospect that unless we act quickly, we risk losing the only home we may ever have." (Home) Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? – "At least 40 per cent of the world's economy and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change." (Global Issues) Sylvia Earle: How to P rotect the Oceans (TED Prize winner!) – "Legendary ocean researcher Sylvia Earle shares astonishing images of the ocean -- and shocking stats about its rapid decline -- as she makes her TED Prize wish: that we will join her in protecting the vital blue heart of the planet." (Earle) Ecological Intelligence – "Some people believe the planet would be better off, at least ecologically, if humans had never evolved. These speakers offer grim evidence that human activities threaten to poison much of life on earth, but they also suggest some new methods for treading more lightly, and perhaps reversing some deadly trends." (MIT World) Credits Biophage - Help Us Header Image\| Biology. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.biophage.com/endangered-species.html Global Issues - Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares Home - YouTube. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=jqxENMKaeCU&feature=mv_sr Earle, Sylvia: How to Protect the Oceans (TED Prize winner!) - YouTube. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43DuLcBFxoY MIT World - Ecological Intelligence \| About the Lecture. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://video.mit.edu/watch/ecological-intelligence-9507/
Copyright © 2012 Amy E. Hissom - ITEC-67444 -Teaching Online Courses - Direct Instructional Assignment - Fall 2012

Aquaint Yourself

Why do species have value? What factors contribute to the endangerment or extinction of species? Why is it important to protect species from becoming endangered, or even worse, extinct? What can we do to help? Visiting the following links will give you a good start towards understanding why.

Home – "Internationally renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand makes his feature directorial debut with this environmentally conscious documentary produced by Luc Besson, and narrated by Glenn Close. Shot in 54 countries and 120 locations over 217 days, Home presents the many wonders of planet Earth from an entirely aerial perspective. As such, we are afforded the unique opportunity to witness our changing environment from an entirely new vantage point. In our 200,000 years on Earth, humanity has hopelessly upset Mother Nature's delicate balance. Some experts claim that we have less than ten years to change our patterns of consumption and reverse the trend before the damage is irreversible. Produced to inspire action and encourage thoughtful debate, Home poses the prospect that unless we act quickly, we risk losing the only home we may ever have." (Home)

Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? – "At least 40 per cent of the world's economy and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change." (Global Issues)

Sylvia Earle: How to P rotect the Oceans (TED Prize winner!) – "Legendary ocean researcher Sylvia Earle shares astonishing images of the ocean -- and shocking stats about its rapid decline -- as she makes her TED Prize wish: that we will join her in protecting the vital blue heart of the planet." (Earle)

Ecological Intelligence – "Some people believe the planet would be better off, at least ecologically, if humans had never evolved. These speakers offer grim evidence that human activities threaten to poison much of life on earth, but they also suggest some new methods for treading more lightly, and perhaps reversing some deadly trends." (MIT World)

Credits

Biophage - Help Us Header Image| Biology. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.biophage.com/endangered-species.html

Global Issues - Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares

Home - YouTube. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=jqxENMKaeCU&feature=mv_sr

Earle, Sylvia: How to Protect the Oceans (TED Prize winner!) - YouTube. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43DuLcBFxoY

MIT World - Ecological Intelligence | About the Lecture. Retrieved Mar. 7, 2012, from Web site: http://video.mit.edu/watch/ecological-intelligence-9507/