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ACTIVITY ENGLISH N 01- SAVING BIODIVERSITY

How many species of organisms live on Earth?That seems like a simple question, but no one knowsthe answer. The uncertainty over this basic questionillustrates how little scientists actually know aboutbiodiversity.

One thing is certain about biodiversity, though: itis disappearing fast. Biologists need good informationabout biodiversity in order to choose the actions that

will save the most species. To focus conservationefforts, biologists agree that the first priority must be totake an inventory of global biodiversity, determiningwhich species live where.

A New ApproachBeginning in the late 1980s, a group of biologists andconservationists decided a shortcut was needed. Theylaunched the Rapid Assessment Program, or RAP, tospeed the study of biodiversity. RAP sends smallteams of experts to tropical habitats to quicklydetermine what kinds of organisms live there. Theprogram focuses on hot spots, threatened areas that

are high in biodiversity and contain large numbers ofunique species. The aim is to survey as many of thesehot spots as possible and identify areas that need to beprotected.

To conduct these surveys, ConservationInternational, the nonprofit organization that sponsorsthe program, brings together several of the worldsleading tropical biologists. Each expedition alsoincludes several scientists from the country where theteam is working. (One of the goals of RAP is to trainbiologists in tropical countries). The RAP team usessatellite photos, aerial observation, and discussions

with scientists and government officials in tropicalcountries to choose the locations it will visit.

Instead of taking an exhaustive, time-consuming inventory of all species, the team may focuson a few familiar groups. An inventory of mammals,birds, fishes, flowering plants, of an areas total

biodiversity. A habitat with many species of plants and birds, for example, also probablyhas many species of bacteria, insects, and others less conspicuous organisms.

Glosary:1. Bacteria/bacteria:Microorganismo unicelular quecarece de ncleo definido.2.Biodiversity/biodiversidad:Lavariedad de organismos que seencuentran en un readeterminada.

3.Biologists/bilogos:Profesionales que se encargan delestudio de todos los aspectos delos seres vivos (anatoma,fisiologa, comportamiento,ecologa y relaciones evolutivas).4.Birds/aves:Vertebrados desangre caliente, caracterizados portener un cuerpo cubierto deplumas, pico sin dientes yextremidades superioresmodificadas como alas.5.Fishes/peces:Trmino que se

refiere a un vertebrado notetrpodo.6.Flowering plants/plantas conflores:Conocidas tambin comofanergamas. Son plantas queposeen sus rganos reproductoresdentro de una estructura especialllamada flor.7. Insects/insectos:Animalesinvertebrados caracterizados portener un par de antenas, trespares de patas y dos par de alas(que algunas veces puede estar

reducido o ausente).8. Mammals/mamferos:Vertebrados de sangre calientecon pelos y glndulas mamarias,de reproduccin principalmente

vivpara.

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The Rewards of RAP

RAP scientists describe their work as exhausting but exhilarating. Its what we livefor, says Tom Schulenberg, an ornithologist (a biologist who studies birds) and RAPteam leader. Were always scheming to get back to the f ield. While exploring new places,Schulenberg feels an incredible sense of excitement, knowing no other biologist has been

there and everything you see is being seen for the first time.

How RAP helps conserve biodiversityThough less exciting than exploring a rain

forest, the next stage of RAP is just as important.The scientists return to the United States toanalyze their data. They then present a reportcontaining their recommendations to the hostcountry. RAP scientists stress that their role is toprovide scientifically sound advice, not to telltropical countries how to manage their naturalresources. They leave all decisions to the

individual governments. Using the informationfrom RAP reports, tropical countries can guidetheir land-use decisions to help preservebiodiversity.

Answer the questions:Understanding concepts

1. What meaning RAP? Which is it using?2. Find the words into letters

A C M T S M J B LT B A C T E R I AM I M F C T Q R NM O M O E R Z D DA D A R S E R S IR I L E N L Y S N

B V S F I S H E SU E E T B A O A EI R D V H O P R TT S I G O L O I BS I D R I B R S RS T E C N I O A IZ Y E A S T I F U

Bacteria

Biodiversity

Biologist

Birds

Fishes

Insects

Mammals

9. Natural resources/Recursosnaturales.Bienes y servicios queproporciona la naturaleza y que nohan sido transformados por elhombre.10.Ornithologist/ornitlogo:Bilogo que se encarga del estudiode las aves.11.Rain forest/bosque lluviosoEcosistema terrestre que se

caracteriza por presentar altasprecipitaciones, vegetacinestratificada y alta biodiversidad.12.Species/especies: Un grupo deorganismos que slo se reproducenentre ellos mismos y quenormalmente estn limitados a unaregin geogrfica.13.Survey/evaluacin:Estudiodetallado que se realiza por medio

de la observacin y el anlisis.

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3. About hot spots the correct is:a) reas con gran biodiversidad que contienen un gran nmero de especies

nicas.b) Lugar del bosque tropical de baja biodiversidad donde se aplica un RAP.c) rea protegida donde se realiza estudios de biodiversidad.

Critical thinking1. That you think on how these surveys are conducted in each country?2. What are the benefits of preserving biodiversity? It mentions three and it gives

examples of each.3. If you were a scientist RAP you would feel that your work is exhaustive but exciting

as well as describe they it? Why?