Extinction Quiz

What is the definition of extinction?

• The complete disappearance of a species or group of species from the planet.

• The gradual increase in the number of species over time.

• The process of species adapting to new environments.

• The introduction of new species into an ecosystem.

What are the two main types of extinction?

• Background extinction and mass extinction

• Natural extinction and artificial extinction

• Gradual extinction and sudden extinction

• Primary extinction and secondary extinction

What is background extinction?

• The continuous, low-level rate of species loss that occurs naturally as part of the evolutionary process.

• The rapid loss of species due to catastrophic events.

• The introduction of new species into an ecosystem.

• The increase in species diversity over time.

Which of the following is NOT a cause of background extinction?

• Competition

• Natural environmental changes

• Predation

• Asteroid impacts

What is mass extinction?

• A relatively rare event in which a significant percentage of species across multiple taxa go extinct in a relatively short period of time.

• The gradual decline of species over millions of years.

• The introduction of new species into an ecosystem.

• The natural turnover of species over time.

Which of the following is a cause of mass extinction?

• Competition for resources

• Natural environmental changes

• Predation

• Volcanic eruptions

Which mass extinction event is known as the "Great Dying"?

• Ordovician-Silurian Extinction

• Late Devonian Extinction

• Permian-Triassic Extinction

• Triassic-Jurassic Extinction

What is believed to have caused the Permian-Triassic Extinction?

• Asteroid impact

• Massive volcanic eruptions

• Glaciation

• Spread of land plants

Which mass extinction event is associated with an asteroid impact in present-day Mexico?

• Ordovician-Silurian Extinction

• Late Devonian Extinction

• Permian-Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction

What is the primary goal of the IUCN Red List?

• To document the history of mass extinctions

• To evaluate the risk of extinction for species and subspecies

• To study the effects of volcanic eruptions on biodiversity

• To analyze the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems