Take the 784 species that went extinct in 500 years…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Take the species that went extinct in years.
- How many species is that for each year, to two decimals?
- How many is that for each century?
- Suppose that the rate before humans was times slower than this average rate. What would it be in species for each year, to four decimals?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Five mass extinctions have happened, and a sixth is in progress at a rate 100 to 1000 times faster than before humans. In the last 500 years, 784 species have gone extinct: 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants. If a share of the species is left after years, the share kept each year is (not in the NEET syllabus).
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. species in years.
Step 1. (a) species for each year.
Step 2. (b) species for each century.
Step 3. (c) species for each year.
Answer: ; ; species for each year.
Check. The rate before humans is a tiny fraction of the recent rate. This is a model, because the real rate has not been steady.
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