Speech Hsc
4. A study of palaeontology and past environments increases our understanding of the possible future range of plants and animals
Explain the importance of the study of past environments in predicting the impact of human activity in present environments:
• The knowledge gained from palaeontology (fossils) and the study of past environments can help us to understand present day ecosystems
• This knowledge can be used to predict and determine the future for Australia’s plants and animals
• Palaeobiologists gain knowledge about the long term changes that have occurred in ecosystems over millions of years. At Riversleigh, fossils are being used to see how Australia’s biota evolved
• The extinction of mega fauna coincided with the arrival of humans.
• Animals may have not seen humans as a threat or predators.
• Showing no fear, large herds of diprotodons would have been easy target for humans to hunt.
Problems with theory:
• If humans and mega fauna coexisted, and if humans hunted them to extinction, there should be remains of humans and mega fauna found together in the fossil record.
• Fossils of mega fauna have been found and dates estimated to be as recent as 6000-10 000 years ago. Humans arrived to Australia at least 40 000 years ago.
Identify ways in which palaeontology assists understanding of the factors that may determine distribution of flora and fauna in present and future environments:
• The main findings of palaeontology in Australia are:
1) Loss of biodiversity over time - reduction in rainforest
2) Thylacine - numbers were already declining, Europeans finally killed them all
3) Analysis of plant and animal fossils can allow palaeontologists to create a picture of the ecosystems at the time.
Main causes of extinction: climate drier, agriculture and hunting
• Palaeontology is the study the science of the forms of life existing in former geologic periods, as represented by their fossils. It provides information about the
Explain the importance of the study of past environments in predicting the impact of human activity in present environments:
• The knowledge gained from palaeontology (fossils) and the study of past environments can help us to understand present day ecosystems
• This knowledge can be used to predict and determine the future for Australia’s plants and animals
• Palaeobiologists gain knowledge about the long term changes that have occurred in ecosystems over millions of years. At Riversleigh, fossils are being used to see how Australia’s biota evolved
• The extinction of mega fauna coincided with the arrival of humans.
• Animals may have not seen humans as a threat or predators.
• Showing no fear, large herds of diprotodons would have been easy target for humans to hunt.
Problems with theory:
• If humans and mega fauna coexisted, and if humans hunted them to extinction, there should be remains of humans and mega fauna found together in the fossil record.
• Fossils of mega fauna have been found and dates estimated to be as recent as 6000-10 000 years ago. Humans arrived to Australia at least 40 000 years ago.
Identify ways in which palaeontology assists understanding of the factors that may determine distribution of flora and fauna in present and future environments:
• The main findings of palaeontology in Australia are:
1) Loss of biodiversity over time - reduction in rainforest
2) Thylacine - numbers were already declining, Europeans finally killed them all
3) Analysis of plant and animal fossils can allow palaeontologists to create a picture of the ecosystems at the time.
Main causes of extinction: climate drier, agriculture and hunting
• Palaeontology is the study the science of the forms of life existing in former geologic periods, as represented by their fossils. It provides information about the