AP Biology Mass Extinctions

At the end of the Mesozoic Era there was a mass extinction.  Which of the following is attributed as being the main cause?

• asteroid or comet impact
• major volcanic eruption
• earthquakes
• climatic changes

What is a mass extinction?

• When all the species in a particular area on earth suddenly go extinct
• When multiple species from all over the earth suddenly go extinct 
• When one species goes extinct due to habitat changes
• When all life on earth is wiped out 

______ happened 360 MYA.

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

Amphibians, reptiles and corals were some creatures hardest hit by this extinction period because of shifting continental plates that lead massive volcanic activity.

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

Which extinction is considered the largest mass extinction in Earth's history? Basically 96% of all species on Earth disappeared.

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

Rapid drop in global temperature caused this mass extinction since many species could not survive the cooler waters and much of the water was stored in glaciers.

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

This mass extinction occurred when there was massive volcanic activity that was thought to have occurred because of an asteroid that hit Earth.

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

Which mass extinction included the extinction of the dinosaurs?

• Ordovician Extinction

• Devonian Extinction

• Permian Extinction

• Triassic Extinction

• Cretaceous Extinction

 Which is LEAST LIKELY to push a species toward extinction?  
         

• a.   Cutting down entire forest 
• b.  Putting animals in a zoo 
•  c.   Polluting mountain streams 
• d.   Introducing new species to an ecosystem with no known natural predator    

The Florida panther is a large cat related to lions. Panthers eat deer, rodents, and farmers' livestock. Panthers once lived in Tennessee. Which of these most likely caused panthers to disappear from Tennessee?

• Panthers in Tennessee were unable to reproduce.
• People hunted panthers and destroyed their habitats.
• Natural predators killed and ate all the panthers in Tennessee.
• Panthers in Tennessee ran out of food.