Giant Pandas

G) Diversity of characteristics within the group:

• Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Giant Panda):
- have 5 fingers and 1 thumb which helps them tear and handle bamboo
- is the only genus in family Ursidae that has pupils that are vertical slits (others have round pupils)
- has the largest molar teeth of any carnivore which helps them to easily crush bamboo stem - tail is like a brush allowing them to mark territory with scent
• Ursus maritimus (Polar Bear):
- has large paws compared to body acting like snowshoes
- toes are thick and curved which are used for grasping prey and for having grip when running or climbing on ice. - has a large muzzle, neck, and an oblong head compared to other bears
- has 42 teeth, which are used for catching food
- fur is oily and water repellent which allows them to dry off easily
• Ursus americanus (American Black Bear):
- has an extremely strong sense of smell which helps smell their prey from miles away
- have binocular vision which allows them to have a better vision of their surroundings

H) Phylogenetic Tree:

Figure 5 shows the evolutionary relationships between panda bears, polar bears, and American black bears as well as their relatedness among different species.
This phylogenetic tree shows that polar bears are closely related to brown bears as they have the most recent common ancestor. This diagram also shows that giant pandas have only one common ancestor. By looking at this diagram, we can also tell that the American black bears are more closely related to polar bears than to giant pandas.

I) Ecological Niches of the Group:

Panda bears play a key role in bamboo forests as they spread seeds by eating bamboo, helping with the growth of vegetation. By doing this, panda bears are able to maintain its bamboo forest and species in the ecosystem are able to benefit from the vegetation. For example: rabbits, deer, and various types of birds.

Polar bears play an important role in the marine environment as they are able to control the population in its ecosystem. These polar bears are at the top of the food chain in the marine environment which means that they have no predators. They are responsible for killing various species in its environment to obtain the necessary nutrients needed. A few of these species include; seals, muskox, reindeer, fishes, and small arctic rodents. Other species in this ecosystem are dependent by this, as it allows them to live a longer. This is because the population of its predators have been minimized as they were killed by polar
bears.

American black bears play a key role in hunting for preys such as deer, beavers, and small woodland mammals. When hunting, these bears tear apart logs and any obstacles they might encounter. Bacteria, fungi, and worms benefit from this action as they are able to gain their nutrients by aiding in the decomposition in forested environments. American black bears are omnivores, meaning they get both meat and plants. Most of their diet is plant based such as berries, seeds, grass, and honey. Their consumption of berries and other fruits, help with the distribution the seeds of various fruits. Small species such as squirrels and birds benefit from this as they are able to obtain their food.