Lemers
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 Island of Madagascar consists of three different biomes, being tropical dry forest, tropical rain forest, and desert. In a tropical rain forest biome temperatures remain warm thought the year and precipitation occurs on an almost daily basis. This type of biome contains three levels of vegetation and only about two or three percent of the sunlight striking the canopy reaches the lowest level.
2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change.
The majority of changes occurring in Madagascar which are posing challenges for the lemurs are the destruction of their natural habitat due to human development. Since humans arrived and began turning the natural habitat of the lemurs into land which was more suitable for human use, there have been detrimental results to the lemur population.
3. Which types of lemurs are adapting to the changes? Which types of lemurs are not adapting well? Why?
The Ring-tailed Lemurs have been the most efficient at adapting to the changes in their habitat; this is due to their ability to adjust to finding food in the crops humans are planting. The Bamboo Lemurs are suffering the greatest impact of human development due to their primary food supply being destroyed and they have not been able to adjust fast enough to keep up with the pace the food supply is being destroyed.
4. What behavioral and physical traits are being favored in lemurs in the changing Madagascar environment?
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 Island of Madagascar consists of three different biomes, being tropical dry forest, tropical rain forest, and desert. In a tropical rain forest biome temperatures remain warm thought the year and precipitation occurs on an almost daily basis. This type of biome contains three levels of vegetation and only about two or three percent of the sunlight striking the canopy reaches the lowest level.
2. What changes happening in Madagascar are posing challenges for lemurs? Give details about the sources, time scale, and types of change.
The majority of changes occurring in Madagascar which are posing challenges for the lemurs are the destruction of their natural habitat due to human development. Since humans arrived and began turning the natural habitat of the lemurs into land which was more suitable for human use, there have been detrimental results to the lemur population.
3. Which types of lemurs are adapting to the changes? Which types of lemurs are not adapting well? Why?
The Ring-tailed Lemurs have been the most efficient at adapting to the changes in their habitat; this is due to their ability to adjust to finding food in the crops humans are planting. The Bamboo Lemurs are suffering the greatest impact of human development due to their primary food supply being destroyed and they have not been able to adjust fast enough to keep up with the pace the food supply is being destroyed.
4. What behavioral and physical traits are being favored in lemurs in the changing Madagascar environment?