Human Biology Custom Essay

Question 1. Respond to one of the bulleted items below for the first question: Make sure your response is at least 150 words and you must have at least one reference for each. Include the bulleted item that you are responding to, but that is not part of the word count for the response.
• Humans belong to the genus Homo and chimpanzees to the genus Pan, yet studies of primate genes show that chimpanzees and humans are more closely related to one another than each is to any other animals. In light of this result, some researchers suggest that chimpanzees should be renamed as members of the genus Homo. Discuss at least three (3) practical, scientific, and / or ethical issues that might be raised by such a change in naming.
• Consider the animals in this week’s readings that are radially symmetrical (cnidarians, many adult echinoderms). Choose one (1) animal that is radially symmetrical and discuss how its lifestyle is different from that of bilaterally symmetrical animals. Illustrate how its body plan complements its lifestyle.
• The age structure diagrams for two (2) hypothetical human populations are shown on Page 331 of the textbook. Describe the growth rate of each population, and discuss at least two (2) current and future social and economic problems that each is likely to face.
• Species that are more prone to certain risk factors are more likely than others to become extinct. For example, species with a unique lineage, such as the giant panda, are likely to be at severe risk for extinction. Some argue that high-risk species are less successful products of evolution and should not receive extraordinary protection. Consequently, all species at risk for extinction should be equally protected. Determine whether or not you believe our limited resources for species protection should be focused on species that are at the highest risk for extinction, and explain why.
Question 2. Respond to one of the bulleted items below for the first question: Make sure your response is at least 150 words and you must have at least one reference for each. Include the bulleted item that you are responding to, but that is not part of the word count for the response.
• Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the common nightcrawler, an annelid worm, was absent from much of the North American continent. Apparently, it had been wiped out by the glaciers of the last Ice Age. Use the Internet or the Strayer Library to research how the introduction of earthworms to North America occurred in the so-called “Columbian Exchange.” Discuss your findings. Based on what you researched, give your opinion about how it affected the environment.
• With antibiotic resistance rising, researchers are looking for ways to reduce use of these drugs. Some cattle once fed antibiotic-laced food now get feed that includes helpful bacteria that can live in the animal’s gut. The idea is that if a large population of beneficial bacteria is in place, then harmful bacteria with the same resource needs are less likely to thrive. Explain why this idea makes sense in terms of species interactions and provide an example with your response.
• Analyze the impact that the extinction of a species will have on an environment. Determine what you believe to be the most significant impact, and explain why.
• Go to The New York Times Website to read the article titled “Taking advantage of a destructive insect’s weakness for purple”, dated September 12, 2011. Describe how the collection of knowledge about the Ash borer’s ecology and behavior are helping to control infestations of this non-native species. All of these efforts cost money. As a citizen, determine whether or not you believe that the time and effort spent collecting this information is worth it, and explain why.