The Background Species Extinction Rate

question 7

Multiple Choice

The background species extinction rate

• A) estimates how many extinctions humans are causing.
• B) estimates how quickly species disappeared before human intervention.
• C) measures today's extinction rate of animals.
• D) measures today's extinction rate of plants.
• E) All of the answer choices are correct.

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Definitions:

Traditional System

A social or economic system based on long-standing customs, practices, and traditions, often within specific communities or cultures.

Pollutants

Substances that contaminate the environment, causing harm or discomfort to organisms.

J-shaped Curve

The J-shaped curve describes a situation in growth patterns where, initially, the growth is slow, but after a certain point, it accelerates exponentially.

Normal Distribution

A bell-shaped frequency distribution curve where most of the occurrences take place around the central peak and the probabilities of values further away from the mean taper off equally in both directions.