ENV200S1: ASSESSING GLOBAL CHANGE: SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

TUTORIAL ASSIGNMENT 2: Urban Biodiversity

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Romila Verma

TOTAL MARKS: 15

DUE DATE: Sunday, July 28 by 11.59 pm, EST (New Deadline)

ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES & DESCRIPTION

To observe, understand, and appreciate biodiversity (what it is) and its importance to you and
to the planet (what it does for us).

Biodiversity

Context: With majority of the world’s population living in urban centres, increasingly, certain
natural ecosystems are shrinking and unable to thrive as they once did. Healthy ecosystems and
biological diversity are vital for proper functioning of these systems and for the health of the planet
overall. “Biodiversity is the safety net that enables an ecosystem to survive and thrive in the face
of change.”

Purpose: To “observe” a “natural” area within an urban centre, gain an understanding of local,
urban habitat and the services these habitats provide to urban areas. For this part of the assignment,
you will be taking a virtual walk through a natural area within the city of Toronto (High Park).
The short video uploaded to Quercus represents your “walk” through a portion of High Park.
Provide a response to the following questions – some of these questions will require you to consult
various sources (= citations and references) while others will require you to watch the video and
provide a response based on what is contained in the video. Do not use Wikipedia as a source for
this or any assignment and do not cite Dr. Verma’s lecture slides.
Below are some resources that will assist you in completing some of the assignment components:
http://www.ontariowildflowers.com/
http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/colour.php
http://www.wildflowersofontario.ca/colours.html
http://www.torontofieldnaturalists.org/resources.htm
https://www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/tree-atlas/ontario-southcentral//7E-4
https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/pdf/trees/street-tree-brochure.pdf
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/

Requirements:

• You must answer all the questions.

• If the question is worth 2 marks the maximum length of the answer can be one to two
pages.
• For 1 mark, the maximum length of the answer can be half to one page.
• If the question is worth 0.5 mark, the maximum length of the answer can be few sentences.
• Please use scholarly sources to write a strong answer using APA style of referencing. For
help on APA citations, see http://www.apastyle.org/.

Formatting: Your assignment must include a title page with the course number, the instructor’s
name, your name and student number, the date, and your TAs name. Margins must be 2.5 cm on
all sides. Use Times New Roman font with a point size of 12. Line spacing must be set at 1.5 lines.

Provide responses to the following:

1. Using your own words, define biodiversity, and services it provides, include an urban context
to your definition. (If you use one or more sources to assist you, ensure you cite those sources).
(1 mark).

2. Ecosystems are composed of various abiotic and biotic components. The biotic/biological
components can be categorized into various trophic levels such as primary producers and
consumers. Based on the video posted on Quercus, Biodiversity Walk in the High Park, Toronto,
please answer the following questions:

a) Identify six of the eight organisms/sounds labelled A – H in the video (include letter label
ex: J = dog) (0.5 mark each = 3 marks).

b) Describe/define a primary producer. (0.5 mark) Which of the five organisms seen in the
video would be described as primary producers? (0.5 mark).

c) Describe/define a consumer. (0.5 mark). Which of the five organisms seen in the video
would be described as consumers? (0.5 mark).
 d) List the various services that biodiversity provides for the planet and for humans.
Describe at least two important service that is shown in this video? Why is this service
important? (2 marks).

3. In 2015 Canada’s federal and provincial/territorial governments set itself a series of biodiversity
goals and targets, in response to the UN release of a biodiversity strategic plan, that were to be
achieved by the year 2020. Please describe the goals that Canada set for itself. Did we achieve
those goals by 2020? (2 marks).
Note: This question will require you to undertake some independent information searching but it
is not difficult to find this information by way of a straightforward internet search.

4. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem

Services (IPBES), our planet is facing an increase rate of biodiversity loss worldwide.
a) What are some of the major causes of biodiversity loss worldwide? (1 mark).
b) Describe some of the changes which are necessary to protect biodiversity. These can
include environmental policy, local and global market, or individual lifestyle changes. (2
marks).
Note: Please use the resources provided to you (see links above) to answer this question and
undertake any additional research that might help you.

5. Please go for a walk outside your local community and take a photo showing your natural
surroundings. Attach this photo, as part of your answer. (If you cannot leave your home, take a
photo from your window).
a) Describe the geographical location and biome of the natural system of your chosen area
(name of the country, city/town, streets, water body, if any, biome, and climate). (1 mark).
b) Fill in the following trophic pyramid with at least TWO species in each section, which you
observed on your walk (if you did not observe a species that occupies a certain trophic
level, include one that exists around you that might fill that spot). (1 mark).