BIODIVERSITY

Quiz: Species and extinction (BBC)

Scientists warn that human activities may be bringing about the sixth mass extinction of species in
the world's history. Test your knowledge.


1.       There are an estimated 13-14 million species in the world. How many of those have been
recorded and described?
                                A: 1.75 million
B: 5 million
C: 7 million
D: 11 million


2.      What is the biggest threat to species?
                                 A: Habitat loss
B: Hunting, fishing and collecting
C: Alien invasive species


3.      How many plant species are used in medicines worldwide?
                 A: 100 – 200
B: 1,000 – 2,000
C: 10,000 – 20,000
D: 100,000 – 200,000


4.      Which country has the most endangered plants in the world?
                  A: Indonesia
B: Malaysia
C: Ecuador
D: Brazil


5.      Wild wheat varieties found in Turkey have a genetic property valued at $US50 million a
year. What is it?
                            A: Resistance to pesticides
B: High levels of vitamin A
C: Resistance to plant disease
D: Twice yearly crops


6.      The Sumatran tiger is at risk of extinction. Which everyday product is behind the threat?
A: Hamburgers - the tiger’s rainforest home is being cut down to make way for cattle.
B: Paper – logging companies are exploiting the forests for paper pulp.
C: Toothpaste – workers collecting an ingredient from the sap of a certain tree are disturbing the
tigers’ breeding cycle.
D: All of the above are true.




7.      What happened when a predatory snail from the US was introduced on the Pacific island of
Moorea to control an imported African edible snail?
             A: The edible snails’ shells were too tough to crack, so the predatory snails died
out.
B: The predatory snail picked up a local disease, which was then carried back to the US in imported
goods.
C: Instead of eating the African edible snail, the predator turned on a local species, which is now
at risk of dying out.
D: The predatory snail was palatable to a local monkey species, and the sudden abundance of food
triggered a population explosion.


8.      During the 1990s, by how much was the Earth's forest cover reduced every minute?         A:
0.37 football pitches
B: 3.7 football pitches
C: 37 football pitches
D: 370 football pitches


9.      Dinosaurs were wiped out in the mass extinction 65 million years ago - or were they? Which
modern day group of animals do many experts say are technically dinosaurs?       A: Crocodiles
B: Komodo dragons
C: Frogs
D: Birds













Adapted from:

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/3705008.stm
Published: 2004/09/30 16:50:16 GMT
© BBC MMX