...Madagascar Associate Level Material Lemurs in Madagascar Assignment View the “Lemurs in Madagascar – Surviving on an Island of Change” video. Using the information found in this video, and in Ch. 5 and 6 of Visualizing Environmental Science, answer the following questions in 25 to 100 words each. 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. The biome of Madagascar is a tropical rainforest. The first layer is the top of trees. The second layer is where you find lots of leaves that block most of the sunlight. The last layer is the ground of the forest. 2. Which types of lemurs are adapting to the changes? Which types of lemurs are not adapting well? Why? What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. Human destruction, such as logging, is happening at a much faster pace than evolutionary change. The amount of change occurring in Madagascar as a result of human activities is happening at such a rapid pace, in fact, that the environment and evolutionary process just can’t cope. 3. What behavioral and physical traits are being favored in lemurs in the changing Madagascar environment? The types of lemurs adapting to changes are the ones who are able to adapt well to secondary habitats (habitats altered by humans). One example is the ring-tailed lemur. They are incredibly adaptable....
Words: 399 - Pages: 2
...Associate Level Material Lemurs in Madagascar Assignment View the “Lemurs in Madagascar – Surviving on an Island of Change” video. Using the information found in this video, and in Ch. 5 and 6 of Visualizing Environmental Science, answer the following questions in 25 to 100 words each. 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. Madagascar’s biomes are tropical rain forest, tropical dry forest, and savanna. One feature of the tropical rain forest biome is its temperature, which is usually warm year around with precipitation daily. This biome has three layers. The first layer is where you can find the tops of trees. The second layer, or canopy layer, is where you will find a vast amount of leaves that let only a small amount of sunlight in. The last layer is the ground layer of the rainforest which is usually clear of vegetation because of the amount of light that is blocked by the canopy layer. 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. The changes happening in Madagascar that are posing challenges for lemurs is due mostly to the destruction of tropical rainforest by humans than by evolutionary change. Some lemurs, such as the bamboo lemur, eat leaves from tree. As the trees are cut down and the tropical rainforests are destroyed, these species of lemurs will lose their source...
Words: 475 - Pages: 2
...Material Lemurs in Madagascar Assignment View the “Lemurs in Madagascar – Surviving on an Island of Change” video. Using the information found in this video, and in Ch. 5 and 6 of Visualizing Environmental Science, answer the following questions in 25 to 100 words each. 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. Madagascar’s biome is a tropical rainforest. One feature of the tropical rainforest biome is its temperature, which is pretty much warm all year with some rain or precipitation daily helping keeping everything green. The Madagascar biome has three layers. The first layer would be the tops of the trees that cover the rainforest. The second layer would be its canopy which has small pockets that let in sunlight. The final and third layer is the ground floor that has the least amount of vegetation due to the lack of light. 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. The changes happening in Madagascar that are posing challenges for lemurs are mostly due to human destruction like logging rather than evolutionary changes. Some lemurs such as the bamboo lemur eats leaves from the trees, as these trees are cut down and the tropical rainforests are destroyed, these species of lemurs will lose their source of food. 3. Which types of lemurs are adapting...
Words: 562 - Pages: 3
...Lemurs in Madagascar Melissa Cotham SCI/275 September 8, 2013 Stacey Laub Lemurs in Madagascar 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. Madagascar’s biggest biome is a tropical rainforest. A tropical rainforest biome primarily consists of warm weather, wet plants, and fungi ridden soils. There are three important layers of a tropical rainforest. The emergent layer, 50 m up; where vegetation grows in full sunlight. The canopy (middle) layer, 3-40 m up; provides protection of too harsh of sun to low light plants below. Finally the understory (ground level) where plants and animals only receive 2-3 percent of light from above. 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. Changes happening in Madagascar that are posing threats are the rapid environmental changes caused by humans. The changes that which humans are making are for the ‘sake-of-human-kind’. Although these changes may benefit humans, we are depleting the resources of the lemurs. For example the bamboo lemur (that eats only bamboo); will no longer be in existence, once all of the bamboo tress has been destroyed. 3. Which types of lemurs are adapting to the changes? Which types of lemurs are not adapting well? Why? The lemurs that are adapting well are the lemurs with the ability to thrive in secondary habitats...
Words: 550 - Pages: 3
...Associate Level Material Lemurs in Madagascar Assignment View the “Lemurs in Madagascar – Surviving on an Island of Change” video. Using the information found in this video, and in Ch. 5 and 6 of Visualizing Environmental Science, answer the following questions in 25 to 100 words each. 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. Madagascar’s biomes are grassland and the temperate (or tropical) rain forest. As described in our reading, the temperate rain forest has rain fall that exceeds 50 inches per year, has coastal fog, and has mild winters and cool summers. The forest floor is covered with debris from the trees that provide cover like a canopy or ceiling. Vegetation in the rain forest usually grows high off of the ground because of the nutrient-poor soil, limited sunlight, and small amount of rain that reaches the ground. 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. Climate, logging and hunting are changes to the environment that pose challenges for lemurs. Loggers move into the area and remove trees that provide housing and food for these mammals. There are many lemur species that are negatively affected by these changes. One specific species of lemur (bamboo lemur) identified in the video could become extinct. Their diet is so specific that a reduction...
Words: 539 - Pages: 3
...Today Madagascar has lost about 90% of its forest due to logging, burning, and other commercial practices (5).These Madagascan animals are becoming extinct because of deforestation, being hunted for food, and being sold in illegal pet trade market. The animals also lose their habitats because they live in poor areas that log for money. Some animals became extinct when carnivorous fish were introduced to the ecosystem. Deforestation has caused the loss of the Fossa’s hunting territory. This has also cut off one of the animals main food sources i.e. fruit from the trees. Many other animals are threatened to be extinct because of human interaction, which has created pollution, which is slowly killing all the fish. Out of all the different 52%...
Words: 861 - Pages: 4
...Lemurs in Madagascar: 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. ~ The major features of these biomes is that they are wet, warm, and have high levels of biodiversity. The rainforest has four different layers. (Forest floor, understory layer, canopy layer and emergent layer) 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of changes. ~ The biggest change in Madagascar is the deforestation of the rain forest. It disrupts the eco-system, its home, and the food supply. 3. Which type of lemur are adapting to the changes? Which type of lemurs are not adapting well? Why? ~The bamboo lemur is the type of lemur that is not adapting very easy to the changes. The ring tailed lemur seems to be adapting well because it has the ability to adapt better. 4. What behavioral and physical traits are being favored in lemurs in the changing Madagascar environment? ~Some behavioral and physical traits that are being favored are their small bodies, long noses, and large eyes. 5. Why might lemurs not evolve to adapt to the changes in Madagascar? ~They won’t adapt because of the deforestation of the rainforest. Deforestation occurs at a rate of just under 1 percent a year. 16 species of lemurs have disappeared since humans arrived. They are threatened by distinction today. 6. Which biochemical cycles may be altered by anthropogenic activities on Madagascar, and...
Words: 271 - Pages: 2
...Level Material Lemurs in Madagascar Assignment View the “Lemurs in Madagascar – Surviving on an Island of Change” video. Using the information found in this video, and in Ch. 5 and 6 of Visualizing Environmental Science, answer the following questions in 25 to 100 words each. 1. What are Madagascar’s biomes? Discuss the major features of at least one of these biomes. Use the textbook for biome examples. Madagascar’s biome is a tropical rainforest. One feature of the tropical rainforest biome is its temperature, which is usually warm year around with precipitation daily. The tropical rainforest biome has three layers. The first layer is where you can find the tops of trees. The second layer, or canopy layer, is where you will find a vast amount of leaves that lets only a small amount of sunlight in. The last layer is the ground layer of the rainforest which is usually clear of vegetation because of the amount of light that is blocked by the canopy layer. 2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change. The changes happening in Madagascar that are posing challenges for lemurs is mostly due to the destruction of tropical rainforest by humans than by evolutionary change. Some lemurs, such as the bamboo lemur, eat leaves from tree. As the trees are cut down and the tropical rainforests are destroyed, these species of lemurs will lose their source...
Words: 503 - Pages: 3
...Lemurs in Madagascar: Surviving on an Island of Change Transcript Speakers: Ian Tattersall, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Michelle Sauther, Frank Cuozzo (Rain trickling, lemur sounds: squeaking and calling) (Music playing in background) IAN TATTERSALL: I think everybody who is involved with lemurs is concerned for the future. We’re in a finite island that cannot infinitely be exploited and ravaged. And if present trends continue, the outlook for any of the natural habitat or any of the lemurs is fairly poor. (Birds chirping) Lemurs are members of the order primates, that is to say the large group of mammals to which human beings also belong. And they’d found they are uniquely in Madagascar and on a couple of the adjacent islands of the Comoros group. (Music playing in background) An evolutionary radiation is the diversification of different species from the same ancestor and once a new kind of organism like a primate comes into a new environment as happened in Madagascar about sixty million years ago; there are many, many different ways in which that environment can be exploited. It’s very hard to say exactly how many species of lemur there are because new species are being described all of the time. But in general terms, there now looks to be about thirty to thirty-five species of lemurs and it shows us just what the potential of primates is to occupy an enormous range of different habitats. (Music playing in background) Habitat destruction takes place...
Words: 1011 - Pages: 5
...Madagascar Rainforest Madagascar, located approximately 400 kilometers east of Africa is the world's fourth largest island. Because of its isolation it is occupied by some of the most unusual and rare species of plants and animals on earth. Madagascar was at one time formerly an independent kingdom; became a French colony in 1896 and regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule(Science 1990). The main historical problem with international trade has been the correlated destruction of the environment. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of deforestation. In Madagascar, (Economic Geography, 1993) people have been cutting down the forests for decades. Throughout the past century, much of the rainforests of Madagascar have disappeared. People have begun moving out of the cities, industries have started to expand, and the use of land for farming (particularly coffee) has dramatically increased. All of these phenomenons have led to the destruction of the forest of Madagascar. Many plants and animal species have been severely endangered due to the deforestation (New Scientist 1990). With a current population near 14 million and growing at roughly 3% yearly combined with a per capita income of $230 per year, the major threats to the remaining forest are driven by subsistence needs and cutting for fuel. This has become a major issue, not only because of the value...
Words: 3085 - Pages: 13
...Lemurs of Madagascar, currently in its third edition, is a reference work and field guide for the lemurs of Madagascar, giving descriptions and biogeographic data for the known species. The primary contributor is Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, and the cover art and illustrations were drawn by Stephen D. Nash. The book provides details about all known lemur species, general information about lemurs and their history, and also helps travelers identify species they may encounter. Four related pocket field guides have also been released, containing color illustrations of each species, miniature range maps, and species checklists. The first edition was reviewed favorably in the International Journal of Primatology, Conservation Biology, and Lemur News. Reviewers, includingAlison Jolly, praised the book for its meticulous coverage of each species, numerous high-quality illustrations, and engaging discussion of lemur topics, including conservation, evolution, and the recently extinct subfossil lemurs. Each agreed that the book was an excellent resource for a wide audience, including ecotourists and lemur researchers. A lengthy review of the second edition was published in the American Journal of Primatology, where it received similar favorable comments, plus praise for its updates and enhancements. The third edition was reviewed favorably in Lemur News; the reviewer praised the expanded content of the book, but was concerned that the edition was not as...
Words: 277 - Pages: 2
...strategy for Madagascar. Here are some statistics what's been going on for Madagascar. You might be surprised! As Madagascar’s GDP per capita for 2017 was $ 1,600 and the unemployment rate was only 2%, but that’s most likely because many people are working in the informal sector. There are 71% of the population living below the poverty line. The life expectancy for males is 65 years and for females 68 years. The literacy definition age 15 and over who can read and write and the percentage for males is 67% and for females is 62%. The young age structure age 0-14 is 39.87%, 15-24 is 20.34%, 25-54 is 32.12%, 55-64 is 4.38% and age 65 and over is 3.3%. Some major exports are coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, and cotton cloth. Madagascar’s exports partners are France for 23.5% and the USA for 12.8%. Some imports are capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods and food....
Words: 736 - Pages: 3
...How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek, and of course, Madagascar. The...
Words: 1485 - Pages: 6
...Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar (Malagasy: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara [republiˈkʲan madaɡasˈkʲarə̥]; French: République de Madagascar) and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population. Initial human settlement of Madagascar occurred between 350 BCE and 550 CE by Austronesian peoples arriving on outrigger canoes from Borneo. These were joined around 1000 CE by Bantu migrants crossing the Mozambique Channel. Other groups continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. The Malagasy ethnic group is often divided into eighteen or more sub-groups of which the largest are the Merina of the central highlands. Until the late 18th century, the island of Madagascar was ruled by a fragmented assortment of shifting socio-political alliances. Beginning in the early 19th century...
Words: 11246 - Pages: 45
...Lesson 6 Reecent studies have suggested a revision of the primate taxonomy – genetic markers Original Branching: New Branching: Infraorder Prosimii: Infraorder: Lemuriformes * Lemuriformes Superfamily: * Lorisiformes - Lemuroidea * Tarsiiformes - Lorisoidea Primate General trends * Locomotion * Diet * Sensory adaptations * Life histories (growth stages, social behavior) Not all primates made the same Prosimians are more primitive than monkeys and apes. Anthrpoids derived toward more complex lifestyle * Prosmians separated from main primate line 40 to 45 million years ago * New world monkeys split around 38 to 40 * Old world monkeys and apes split around 25 * Chimpanzee split from human line around 10 Primate locomotion Four Main traits * Pentadactyly = five fingers and toes on each limb * High degree of prehesnsitlity (grasp)and opposability (Opposable thumb) * Retention of the clavicle ( allows shoulder to roll and arms to swing in circle) * Erect upper body Four types of locomotion patterns * Quadrupedalism ( walking on all fours) * Vertical Clinging and leaping * Knuckle walking * Brachiation ( swinging through trees) * Bipedalism us Diet Gerealized – almost anything All four tooth types (Incisors, canines, premolars, molars) Differences between primates...
Words: 597 - Pages: 3
